Borno groans under fuel scarcity, price hike

By Sadiq Abubakar

Maiduguri

Fuel scarcity and hike in the pump price at filling stations and roadside hawking have paralysed socio-economic activities and compounded the hardship being faced by people of Borno state, amid grueling Boko Haram insurgency in the last two weeks.
Visits to some filling stations and motor parks as well as metropolitan bus stops within the Maiduguri city by Blueprint indicated that the petrol product was being sold for between N155 and N180 per liter while roadside black marketers sold the product for between N900 and N1, 200 per 4-litre jerry can, depending on the location.
Masa Mai, a gulf commercial driver shuttling on Baga road-West end-Customs Area-Bama road-University axis, said “due to the long queues resulting from the increase in the fuel pump price we have to increase our charges a little in order to meet up with the challenges or we will end up at the end of the day not making any marginal profit, which will be a waste of time and resources.”
A commercial taxi driver shuttling Maiduguri-Kano-Abuja road, Malam Adamu Tanko, said, “We have been suffering for long in search of passengers here, due to fuel scarcity and sudden hike in fuel pump price at filling stations and even roadside.
“We hardly get passengers frequently compared to the past when people were willing to travel out. The new transport fare ranges between N8,000 and N10,000, unlike in the past when it was between N6,000 and N8,000 to travel outside of the state, “ he said.
A Sharon bus commercial driver at the Borno Express Garage, Mudi Danlami, shutting Maiduguri-Potiskum-Kano-Abuja axis said, “As a result of the increase in fuel pump price, we have no option than to increase the transport fares a little in order for us to also get something out of it.”
“We cannot afford to buy fuel at exorbitant prices and then pick passengers at the old transport fares from here to Kano or Abuja.
That will be at a loss and nobody is willing to come out here to lose but to make gain.
“However, ours is private while public or government vehicles are available also here that pick passengers at less transport fares compared to ours but the difference is just small, ranging between N200 -N300 until the normal price is restored,” Mudi said.
When our correspondent went round the Maiduguri city yesterday, majority of the filling stations were either locked or closed for the day.

 

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