FCT Car Owners Abandon Vehicles Amid Long Fuel Queues, Opt for Commercial Transport
Car owners in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) are increasingly abandoning their vehicles due to persistent fuel shortages and long queues at filling stations, opting instead for commercial transportation.
The situation, which has worsened despite the removal of petrol subsidy by the Federal Government, has left many residents frustrated and seeking alternatives.
In interviews with newsmen on Sunday, several residents expressed disappointment over the ongoing fuel crisis. Mrs. Rebecca Takaa, a public servant residing in Usuma Dam, shared her decision to stop driving her car due to the fuel shortage. “I’ve given up on joining the long queues at filling stations. It’s just too stressful. I’ve resorted to using commercial transport, which is still expensive but not as bad as buying fuel for my car,” Takaa said. She added that she hoped the government would soon resolve the situation.
Mr. Alu Joshua, a commercial transporter in Bwari, highlighted how the fuel crisis has affected his business. He explained that many drivers have been unable to operate due to the time-consuming queues. “It’s discouraging. We spend hours waiting for fuel, and it reduces the number of trips we can make, cutting into our profits,” Joshua said, urging the government to implement policies to prevent recurring fuel shortages.
Similarly, Mr. David Ogedengbe, another resident, described how he had to resort to the black market after failing to buy petrol for almost a week. “I paid nearly N1,500 per litre from the black market, but it damaged my car’s fuel pump because the fuel wasn’t clean,” he said, lamenting the deteriorating situation.
Business owners like Miss Jennifer Ibrahim, who runs a hairdressing salon in Nyanya, have also been affected. Ibrahim explained that the high cost of black market fuel is impacting her ability to run her business. “Black market prices are double the official rate, and with unreliable electricity, I can only serve a few customers before I run out of fuel. It’s exhausting,” she said, appealing to the government for urgent action.
Fuel prices in the FCT have surged, with reports of petrol being sold for as much as N1,000 per litre in some areas. Black market vendors are selling 10-litre gallons for between N10,000 and N15,000, further exacerbating the crisis.
Despite assurances from the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) that efforts are underway to restore normalcy, residents continue to endure the challenges posed by the ongoing fuel shortage.
