FUEL SCARCITY HITS PORT HARCOURT

     Its been over a week now since scarcity of petroleum product crept into the garden city of Port Harcourt, as commoners engage in panic buying in the fear that the situation might worsen.

Long queues have returned to the filling stations as consumers after filling vehicle tanks also fill their jerrycans for keep. Some petrol stations  along Ikwerri, Aba and Eleme roads contend with long queues while others closed shop even when they have the product, with the fear of possible sudden price increase by the federal government.

According to Oduh Amadi, bus driver, who plies from Mile 3 Diobu to Port Harcourt Town and Borokiri said that he had not worked since Monday because of fuel scarcity.

Also, Anthony Dikibor, a driver who travels from Port Harcourt to Yenegoa,  confirmed the claim, disclosing that he brought 50 litres of petrol and paid extra at the petrol station. He prayed that the situation eases off, so that they might not be forced to increase their fares.

The sales manager of one of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company, NNPC, said that there was the fear that the misunderstanding between the Independent Marketers and federal government might degenerate to strike situation.

He disclosed that a classified document from the Independent Marketers Association stated that if nothing is done about it they might start a week long warning strike and if nothing happens then, they would embark on full blown industrial action, a week before independence anniversary on October 1.