Anambrarian react to Fuel scarcity , appeals for urgent solution for common man

Failure of the Federal Government to  arrest the biting fuel scarcity in the country has brought business and other activities  to a standstill in Anambra State especially, Onitsha, the business hub of the state.


Many civil servants had it difficult going to work yesterday as they waited for free ride while others who could trek, trekked to office. Many businessmen trekked to office too but the saving grace was that there were no students in the primary and secondary level but those in Higher Institutions are not finding it easy.

The Federal Government through the Minister of State for Petroleum, Dr. Ibe Kachichukwu, had assured last week that by the last weekend Lagos, Abuja and other cities in the country will witness reduction in the queues in the filling stations.

But by yesterday afternoon there was still no respite in  fuel situation in Onitsha, Awka  and other parts of the state  with the price of a litre selling  between 200 and 250 naira.


This has correspondingly increased the sufferings of the people as few vehicles drive into the ever busy commercial city either because there was no fuel to buy, while some  other vehicle owners cannot afford the high cost of fuel. 


Some commercial vehicles which ply Onitsha had their fares increased by more than  hundred percent, obviously to recoup their money from the passengers.


In the markets, the situation was not better as the prices of virtually all goods have shot up by more than hundred percent.


Consequently, most markets  visited yesterday was scanty as there was no vehicle for the customers to come and when they come the prices of transport and goods would hardly  allow them to make meaningful  purchases.

Rowland Mogbogu, a public analyst in his reaction insisted that the President Mohammadu Buhari led administration must do something urgently to reduce the continued hike in petrol prizes as it is frustrating the economy.

His words:’’ It is a painful situation on the poor masses and you can see there is no vehicle on the road on a Monday morning. Businesses are finding it difficult to operate. This is running the economy down because a lot of business activities would be suspended due to issue of availability of fuel.
If his tarries for long, it would definitely bring the economy down to zero thereby scaring away foreign investors. Even the indigenous investors are not left out in this mess’’.

Edden-Rex Abarah , Speaker Anambra Children Parliament said he paid N300 from Onitsha to Awka against N200,and appealed to the Federal government to intervene so that the common man cold breath air of relief. He said Enugu to Awka before N300 but now N1000.

He insisted that if we are oil state but we could not enjoy oil, then it has not meaning to the populace.

Igwe Augustine Protocol, student of Federal Polytechnic Oko, said they used to pay N200 but N300 from Awka to Oko wondering why for one week transport fare should be like  when Nigeria is oil producing.

He said students are suffering in this era of President Buhari and appealed that he should rescind the situation for the benefit of common man.

The chairman of Marine Modern Market, Onitsha, Mr. Vincent Ifeme, told Authority that the fuel scarcity has literally collapsed their businesses, lamenting that various markets in Onitsha that usually witness many customers on Mondays were empty yesterday.


Ifeme who is also the Vice - president of Amalgamated Traders Association of Anambra State (AMATAS)  decried  the lingering fuel scarcity saying that it has totally crippled their businesses.
He said that the customers are no longer coming because of the high cost of transport fare  and prices of goods arising from fuel scarcity as well as high exchange rate.

“This fuel scarcity has crippled our businesses; our customers no longer come to market. How can they come when the transport fare  is higher than the amount they use to buy goods and even those of us in Onitsha are not finding it easy to get to the market.We hope the President is sensitive to the yearnings of Nigerians”.
But in what seems like a divine intervention, God has buttered their bread as black marketer now have filed day, even as they sale the product at a cut throat price of about 300 naira a litre and above


The President Onitsha Chamber of Commerce, Industries, Mines and Agriculture (ONICCIMA), Mr. Uche Apakama, in his reaction  said the colossal loss sustained by the Nigerians  cannot be quantified in terms of naira and kobo.
"Civil servants are no longer going to work, business activities have also dropped to zero point and even when you see the commodity,it is sold at exorbitant price.The problem has also been compounded by lack of power supply even though people have resorted to the use of generators but   where is the fuel to power generating sets. In fact the situation has collapsed every sector of the economy not only in Onitsha and its environs but in the Anambra State the entire Nigeria".