NIGERIA: Severe fuel shortages across the Nigerian capital cause headaches for drivers and politicians, who are negotiating with those responsible for the shortfall

Record ID: 235773

  • Title: NIGERIA: Severe fuel shortages across the Nigerian capital cause headaches for drivers and politicians, who are negotiating with those responsible for the shortfall
  • Date: 23rd August 2012
  • Summary: ABUJA, NIGERIA (AUGUST 23, 2012) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF EMPTY PETROL STATIONS IN ABUJA ABUJA, NIGERIA (RECENT) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF FINANCE MINISTER'S NEWS CONFERENCE (SOUNDBITE) (English) NIGERIA'S FINANCE MINISTER, NGOZI OKONJO IWEALA, SAYING: "We have a set of people who are clean, we have paid them, and others with some question marks. And it is because we have not been paying, some of them, not all of them, have organised to what we consider as cheap blackmail of the government. To have this hold on the nation by saying that they are not importing fuel and they are not going to sell, but we are not going to give in to that. What we have decided to do is that we will look again at some of those who are not participating in this and who may have maybe a slight infraction and talk to them." ABUJA, NIGERIA (AUGUST 23, 2012) (REUTERS) QUEUE OF CARS OUTSIDE A PETROL STATION SELLING FUEL PEOPLE CLUSTERED AT A SELLING POINT NOZZLE DISPENSING FUEL INTO CAR VEHICLES OUTSIDE A PETROL STATION WITH GATES CLOSED PEOPLE WITH JERRY CANS AT A PETROL STATION (SOUNDBITE) (English) JEREMIAH AWEH, A CAB DRIVER SAYING: "I did not even go home now, my wife called, and my children too, I told them that I am in the filling station. I even decided yesterday to go home but there were too many cars behind me, I could not go, I had no option than to sleep here."
  • Embargoed: 7th September 2012 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Nigeria
  • Country: Nigeria
  • Topics: Economy,Energy
  • Reuters ID: LVA42WCOBUJUFTK2L4OI8PWNC9DD
  • Story Text: Nigeria's capital city Abuja is suffering severe fuel shortages after a trade union halted deliveries and threatened to cut supplies to the rest of the country by Friday (August 24) unless the government resumes some subsidy payments it has withheld.
    The country's finance minister, Ngozi Okonjo Iweala says the government will not pay fuel subsidies to importers currently being investigated for fraud by a presidential committee.

    "We have a set of people who are clean, we have paid them, and others with some question marks. And it is because we have not been paying, some of them, not all of them, have organised to what we consider as cheap blackmail of the government. To have this hold on the nation by saying that they are not importing fuel and they are not going to sell but we are not going to give in to that. What we have decided to do is that we will look again at some of those who are not participating in this and who may have maybe a slight infraction and talk to them," she said.
    Almost all fuel stations were closed throughout Abuja and black market traders toured the city with jerry cans selling gasoline for 50 percent more than the official price of 95 naira ($0.61) a litre.
    Jeremiah Aweh, a cab driver, said the fuel shortage had kept him away from his family.

    "I did not even go home now, my wife called, and my children too, I told them that I am in the filling station. I even decided yesterday, to go home but there were too many cars behind me, I could not go, I had no option than to sleep here," he said.
    Businessman Ifeanyi Ochonogor told Reuters the shortage was crippling the city.

    "For almost three days now we have been looking for fuel like this so it has affected me in every area, every angle. You know, from where I live you cannot even see fuel to buy," he said.
    With the pressure to fill up growing, many frustrated drivers have turned to black market traders, rather than queue at petrol stations.

    "Why I'm buying from the black market is for over two days now I have slept in the filling station and I couldn't even see the fuel to buy. These guys will go, they will sell to marketers who come with jerry cans, they leave us car owners, just leave us there doing nothing we just waste our time, waste the whole day," John Okunyimoh told Reuters.
    In January the government tried to end fuel subsidies, causing petrol prices to more than double, but it was forced to partially reinstate them after a general strike and protests that brought tens of thousands of people onto the streets.
    Despite Nigeria's huge oil reserves, it imports much of its fuel due to a lack of refining capability - a situation blamed on corruption and mismanagement.
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