Kachikwu’s Deadline Fails As Fuel Scarcity Persists

The acute shortage of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), also known as petrol, defied the Thursday deadline given by the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Dr. Ibe Kachikwu. As at yesterday, the long queues were still visible at various fuel stations in Abuja, Lagos and across the states. Kachikwu, who doubles as the Group Managing Director of Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), had while briefing the members of the National Assembly last week, stated that the fuel scarcity would ease out and the queues disappear this week.

“Hopefully by today through Thursday, the fuel queues in Abuja should be over. Hopefully, the same thing will happen to Lagos and thereafter, by the weekend, we should see Kano, Katsina, Sokoto, Port Harcourt and Warri get off this state,” Kachikwu said.

NewTelegraph reports that as at yesterday, most of the independent marketers in Abuja were not selling fuel while the NNPC outlets and some major marketers dispensed the products. Most of the stations in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) that were selling the product had long queues of over two kilometres stretch as at noon. At the Forte Oil Station, opposite Transcorp Hilton Hotels and Conoil Station opposite NNPC Towers, Herbert Marcauley Way, in Abuja, motorists were seen queuing for fuel.