Hadejia (Jigawa) – Motorists in Hadejia, Jigawa have decried hike in the price of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) by independent petroleum marketers.
A check by the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), in Hadejia on Tuesday, showed that the NNPC retail stations and other major marketers had exhausted their stock of the commodity.
NAN checks also showed that some of the available servicing stations owned by independent marketers were dispensing petrol at N150 per litre, above the approved pump price of N86.5 per litre.
A four-litre gallon of the commodity was also sold at N800 at the black market outlets.
A cross section of motorists told NAN that the situation had exposed them to difficulties.
Alhaji Muhammad Garba, a motorist, said that he was spending much in sourcing for the commodity.
Garba noted that the situation had caused heavy drain on his pocket.
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“I am spending much on fuel due to hikes in pump prices,” he said.
Garba accused oil marketers of hoarding the commodity and exploiting consumers.
Ibrahim Musa, a commercial bus operator, alleged that fuel dispensing machines were being tempered by filling station operators to short change consumers.
Musa urged the Federal Government to adopt practical measures to ensure effective regulation and uniformity in pump prices in the country.
Also commenting, a petrol marketer, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, attributed the hikes to high cost of transporting the product from the South to the North.
He explained that the cost of supplying fuel was above the N86.50 approved pump price, adding that the situation would not allow them to comply with the new price regime. (NAN)
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