There is fear of fuel scarcity in some local government areas of Kano State on Monday, following the relunctance of some marketers to dispense the Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), popularly known as petrol, in anticipation of a new pump price regime.
Investigations by the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in some of the LGAs revealed that most of the filling stations had remained closed since last week when the rumour of the price hike filtered into the state.
NAN reports that some of the filling stations owned by the Independent Petroleum Marketers prefer to to sell their products to black marketers in an attempt to maximise profit.
This is coming inspite the warning by the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) that the Federal Government has not increased the price.
A resident of Gwarzo LGA, Alhaji Danbala Gwarzo confirmed to NAN that none of the seven filling stations in the town opened for business on Monday.
He said motorists had resorted to buying the commodity from black marketers, due to the closure of the filling stations in the town.
“We have no fewer than seven filling stations, but as I am talking to you now, none of the filling stations is operating despite the fact that they have the product in store.
“But the moment you go beyond Gwarzo town, you will see filling stations selling the product at the government-approved price of N145 per litre,” he said.
He added that the scarcity, which started on Friday, April 12, had affected social and economic activities across the state.
Gwarzo called on the Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR) to check the excesses of filling station owners who were bent on causing artificial scarcity in the state.
When contacted, the Chairman of Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN) in Kano State, Alhaji Bashir Dan-Malam said no marketer was allowed to increase fuel price since the Federal Government had dispelled the rumour.
According to him, many people are in panic buying of the commodity.
He, however, called on members of the association to disregard the rumour and continue to sell at approved price.