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Fuel Scarcity Worsens In Abuja, As PENGASSAN And NUPENG Strike Over Pension Fund

September 19, 2014

The union said that the strike action was in protest of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC)’s alleged refusal to address unresolved pension issues concerning workers in the oil sector.

The strike action embarked upon by the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN) and the Nigerian Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) has continued to take its toll on the masses.

It was especially challenging for motorists and commuters in Abuja today as a queue of vehicles formed long lines at various fuel stations. The long lines first appeared in some filling stations in the city three days ago when residents thought the protest may result in a scarcity of petroleum products, besieging the filling stations to buy fuel in panic. Many of the stations who have fuel in stock decided to stop sale in anticipation of selling in high prices in few days to come.

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Checks across the city revealed that many of the filling stations deliberately put their gates under lock, vehicles on a long queue. Oando, Conoil, and Total filling stations were seen selling the product, prompting motorists to engage in an endless struggle for space to buy fuel.

Black marketers made brisk business by taking the advantage of the scarcity to sell fuel to drivers at a very exorbitant price. These operators sell 10 liters of petrol for around N2,000 and N3,000.

Information available as this time reveals that some neighboring states have started experiencing the same hardship in getting oil products.

The unions say that the strike action is in protest of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC)’s alleged refusal to address unresolved pension issues concerning workers in the oil sector.

There is no official statement from the officials of the NNPC with respect to the scarcity and how to mitigate the effect on the masses.

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