Still on fuel crisis

IN  the last five weeks, Nigerians have been going through one of the most excruciating fuel crises they have ever had to contend with.

The crisis started almost innocuously with a warning by the fuel marketers that Nigerians might experience fuel crisis as Christmas approached.

A few citizens who had the means to do so bought fuel and stocked it, not minding the damage that could be inflicted on their houses through that action.

As things turned out, though, they turned out to be the ‘wise’ one, exulting in their wisdom on the social media.

But even those few compatriots are in tears now. The crisis has now reached alarming proportions.

Taxi fares are on the very high side and many Nigerians now trek to work. Those who work very far from home trek part of the way and board taxis or motorbikes after trekking long distances.

The situation is indeed very sad.

As a matter of fact, it is fair to say that the crisis is affecting all Nigerians, except perhaps the president and state governors who are said to have fuel dumps.

The Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR) has been engaging in the reactionary practice of sealing off filling stations that are selling fuel above the fixed price of N145 per litre.

The DPR, like the government of the day, is too illiterate to realise that you do not fix prices and expect thos operating in a market situation to remain in business.

How can those who have failed to supply fuel at the control price to marketers turn around to persecute the same marketers?

The president who is supposed to be the Minister of Petroleum has not outlined a comprehensive strategy, at least to ameliorate the situation, simply because he does not have any.

This has to be the most incompetent government in the world. Why fix the price of that which you obviously cannot control? Why seek to undermine market forces?

The market has to be deregulated. No one fixes the price of bread or gari. The supply of diesel has been fully deregulated. This is the way to go.

Oluwafunke Abiola

Ibadan, Oyo State