Despite the country being unable to refine enough crude for local consumption of by-products, the Nigerian government destroyed more than 400 illegal refineries in three months.

The Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps, NSCDC, in Bayelsa said it destroyed more than 400 illegal mini-refineries, called modular refineries, operated by oil thieves in the state.

Some Nigerians have asked the federal government to legalize and regulate the modular refineries to ensure production of petrol and other by-products and as a means of job creation. Licensing modular refineries will reduce the pressure on the naira as the foreign exchange spent on importing these products will be conserved. Still, the federal government has not indicated any willingness to legalize or regulate the modular refineries, yet the Federal Government owned refineries are not working at full capacity to meet the demand of its citizenry.

Nigeria has been hit with a scarcity of petrol in the past months that has helped in worsening the already troubled economy. The scarcity has forced many Nigerians, who need petrol for their cars and also to power their electric generators, to buy the product at the black market sometimes at a 500% increase in price.

Social and economic activities have been paralyzed in the Country as the scarcity of petrol bites harder; the product has disappeared from most filling stations while hawkers of the product have taken over streets.

The situation has forced most residents including commercial drivers to abandon their vehicles, while others now trek to their destinations. Transport fares have since gone up as commercial drivers and motorcyclists also contend with the high cost of fuel. The fuel scarcity has also led to a rise in the cost of essential commodities in the market.

The failure of the responsible regulatory body to make oil products available has made life more difficult for Nigerians. For instance, most parents now cannot afford to take their children to school because of the outrageous price at which fuel and products are being sold. The Federal Government is being called upon to adopt strict measures that will make the products available in all filling stations and at government approved price.

The situation had limited the extent to which Nigerians undertake social visits to friends and relations due to the high cost of transportation.

The government must do whatever is possible to normalize the situation so that at least the cost of food-stuff in the markets can go back to normal. A price control system should be introduced, to check manipulation of the market by shylock oil marketers and traders.

Some Filling Stations hoard fuel and only sell to black marketers who then resell it at exorbitant prices to members of the public, thus some of the filling station are creating artificial scarcity in order to maximize profit.

The Federal Government should take decisive action to bring to an end the ugly situation which has crippled socio-economic activities across the country.

A liter of Fuel costs between N300 to N700 at the black market while in the few filling stations it is being sold to motorists between N200 and N500 per liter. This is striking compared to the official price of N86.50 set by the Federal Government.

Most private vehicle owners, especially civil servants have permanently parked their vehicles due to the fuel scarcity.

Commercial drivers have also increased their fares by about 100% as passengers now pay N200 compared to the former price of N100 depending on the distance within the city. The cost of transportation for inter-State travelers has also gone up by about 70%.

Passengers travelling to Lagos from Abuja, used to pay N5000, fares now run between N6000 to N8000 per trip.

Some commercial drivers have also had to permanently park their vehicle because they were no longer making profit.

Even the number of passengers has drastically reduced, because people now travel only when necessary.

Only the NNPC Mega Station is selling the fuel at the government-controlled price of N86 per liter.

The most pathetic thing is that the masses who voted the current government into power are the ones that are suffering the most from the scarcity; all of the Political office holders and appointees have a means of getting the product so they do not feel the impact, nor are they going through what the people who voted them into power are going through.

By Frank Oluwafemi