By Mike Aladenika.
As the protracted fuel scarcity and increased pump price of petroleum products bite harder in Benin city and other parts of Nigeria, motorists and commuters are saying the situation almost became unbearable in Edo state.
Prior to the time that seeming normalcy returned, the situation became terribly unbearable to the extent that some motorists either spent valuable work time at service stations on queues seeking to buy products or choose to buy at neck breaking prices where there are no queues.
The deregulation policy of the Federal Government, no doubt, has been profitable to some independent Marketers who sourced for their products mostly from private refineries and are forced to sell at government approved prices , but ever since the implementation of the deregulation, marketers are allowed to sell at the same cost they bought.
This has undoubtedly subjected commercial, and private motorists to the mercy of the independent Marketers who were seen few weeks ago hoarding fuel and creating artificial scarcity to sell at an exorbitant price.
This artificial scarcity and exhobitant cost forced so many Edolites to start sleeping at NNPC Mega Station where government approved prices were in practice.
Where other filling station were selling at 500,600 per liter, NNPC Mega Station maintained their sales at 185 per liters, as motorists who find the difference as a huge sum prefers to sleep on the queue and wait for their turn to buy fuel .
The staffs and managers of NNPC Mega Station were seen working themselves out just to ensure that motorists queue up and get fuel in an orderly manner.
Outside the fact that some motorists would want to subvert the queues to get fuel following short cuts, such actions attracted pressure on the part of staff and management of NNPC Mega station who with the assistance of the DSS have to stand under the scorching sun to ensure the sales are done in an orderly manner.
Investigations revealed that, a lot would have happened if there was no NNPC Mega Station in Benin and committed workers who have to work under pressure to satisfy the buying need of people.
From the recent experience of Nigerians, government outfits remain a bailout for Nigerians from the profit oriented business men who wake up and inflate prices the way and manner that suits them.
Many motorists who spoke with our crew say "the situation would have been more deadly and chaotic if a service station like the NNPC Mega filling station is not in benin.
"You can imagine a station that commenced sales from seven in the morning till 11.00pm, and in most cases, till day break. Do you know how many vehicles they attend to in a day? Hundreds of thousand litters are regularly dispensed.
Another motorist says "i come from a neighbouring state to buy fuel in benin. When I learnt that the Mega station sells at regular and FG approved price, I will drive to benin, fill my tank and go back. Each trip to benin allows me to work and be mobile for the whole week. So I come around on Saturday or Sunday to buy.
Mrs Florence Agbontaen is a nursing mother who was sighted on the queue at NNPC sapele Road service point. she said,
"my brother, just help us to thank the management and staff of NNPC MEGA STATION BENIN for saving lives. You will not understand, my brother, this PMS is now life to many of us, imagine if this NNPC sales point is not here. Just imagine it.
All attempts to get the views of the management of NNPC or those of the Mega station proved abortive but a staff who spoke to our crew under anonymity said "this period is the most challenging of my time working with NNPC but it is more of a national call to serve your nation through service to the people.
" We have been genuinely stressed to the maximum. Shifts no longer have meaning. Some of us sleep here to continue sales the next morning. Though it is stressful but am happy to be part of the rescue mission to correct the fuel situation.
In all, it has been commendation and more commendations to the staff and management of NNPC Benin Mega Station for saving the state from fuel scarcity induced chaos.
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