NLC urges FG to address fuel supply challenges in Anambra

The Nigeria Labour Congress, Anambra chapter, has urged the Federal Government to address the problem of petroleum products supply to checkmate arbitrary price increases.

Jerry Nnubia, the chairman of the chapter, made the call in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Awka on Tuesday while reacting to the price spike from N145 to N160.

Nnubia said since availability was a major determinant of the price, there was the need for the government to remove bottlenecks in petroleum products’ supply.

He also urged the Federal Government to revamp the NNPC depot in Enugu which had been down for about 10 years .

“The issue of supply should be addressed; you cannot fix price and make it impossible for operators to comply; why should Nigerians be paying N160 for a litre of petrol when government says it is N145,” he asked.

The chairman said there was no reason for a depot of strategic importance such as the one in Enugu serving the South-East, to be down for as long as 10 years, without due attention.

According to him, it shows that the interest of the masses is not important.

Meanwhile in a separate interview, Ikechukwu Nwankwo, the Chairman, Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN), Enugu zone, said marketers did not have an option than to adjust according to market reality.

“It is a problem for us here; we cannot buy at the normal price because the major marketers who have the product are not selling. Again, we have been calling on the government to fix our depot in Enugu, that will make us to compete fairly with other zones.”

The chairman urged customers to be patient as they would revert to the approved price as soon as price normalised at the depots.

A NAN correspondent who monitored the fuel situation in Awka on Tuesday, observed that no independent outlet sold the product at the regulated price, and this has left consumers complaining.

A motorist, Goddy Ezechukwu, said he could not understand why the marketers were selling above N145 without the Federal Government questioning them.

Ezechukwu said that even the N145 pump price was harsh on household income and pleaded with the authorities to save the masses from the pains of high petrol price.

A marketer, Emmanuel Orakpo, blamed the hike on their inability to purchase products at the approved government price.

Orakpo claimed that NNPC did not have products to sell to them, making it possible for major marketers who had petrol to fix price arbitrarily.

“As I am talking to you now, I don’t have product. It has been difficult getting from the depot in Lagos; if I can get to buy at N150 now, I will place order,” he said.

He called for quick intervention on the matter to save people from further hardship.