Anambra State Motorists, Residents Lament As Fuel Marketers Shut Down Petrol Station

Residents and motorists in Anambra State were on Wednesday thrown into lamentation following about 100 percent unprecedented transport fare hikes orchestrated by sudden fuel scarcity across the state as fuel marketers shut down almost all the filling stations in the state. With over 80 percent filling stations in the state, especially in major cities including the state capital, Awka, a few stations that were open for business sold fuel at as high N550 per litre while black marketers sold as high as N1200 per litre.

Reacting to the situation, some motorists and residents at the popular Aroma Roundabouts and Kwata Junction in Awka told journalists the difficulties they were faced with in the course of doing their business and getting to their destinations. Motorists charged their customers between N200 and N400 from Aroma Roundabout to Kwata Junction and from Aroma Roundabout to Eke Awka Market respectively. These journeys usually cost N150 and N250 maximum respectively.A stranded private car owner at Kwata Junction who simply gave his name as Franklin said, I don’t know in God’s name why no filling station is open or selling fuel in Awka today.

I visited about four filling stations around here but none of them is open. But reacting to the situation on Wednesday, Chinedu Anyaso, the Chairman of the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN), in charge of the Enugu depot covering six states appealed to the people of the state not to panic as the shutting down of filling stations was not intended to cause any harm or to further increase the pump price of petrol but to ensure that all its members complied in attending an emergency general meeting scheduled in Awka.

Anyaso said, The emergency meeting was to deliberate on the recent marking of about 16 filling stations in Ekwulobia, to give way for the construction of a proposed flyover in the town. 16 filling stations were marked for demolition in Ekwulobia axis by the Anambra State government to give way for the proposed construction of a flyover and adjourning roads in the area.

Our members are willing to comply, there is a need for the government to reach an agreement with them as regards compensation because the facilities are the only source of income to the owners. “We have written to the Anambra State government over the development, but was yet to receive a reply, hence the meeting was called to discuss how to further engage for the overall interest of its members and the motoring public.”