Fuel scarcity hits Kano

•Firm sells kerosene for N50 per litre
Motorists and other users of the Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) in Kano are facing scarcity of the petroleum product.

Also, a popular oil marketer in the commercial city, Azman Oil and Gas Company, has begun the sale of kerosene at the regulated price of N50 per litre.
Our reporter, who went round the city, noted that the fuel scarcity had worsened as most of the filling stations hoarded the product for fear of a likely removal of fuel subsidy by the Federal Government.
Long queues were noticed at most filling stations.
A litre of petrol was sold for N103 at some of the filling stations.
At mega filling stations, the product was sold at the regulated price of N87, attracting long queues of anxious buyers.
Black marketers, who had been run out of business with constant supply of the product, have returned.
They have cashed in on the scarcity to make brisk business with many buyers running to them for supply.
They sold a gallon of petrol for N700 instead of the previous price of N450.
But the Commercial Manager of Azman Oil, Alhaji Abdullahi Tanko Ahmad, said the company had complied with Federal Government’s directive on the sale of kerosene to consumers at subsidised price.
Addressing reporters yesterday in Kano, Ahmad said: “Azman will never run foul of the law as far as the issue of selling the commodity to the public at the subsidised rate is concerned.”
The manager said the oil company would ensure that consumers benefited from the subsidy on kerosene.
He said: “With the sale of the commodity almost taking shape at Azman filling stations all over the country, individual consumers are entitled to 20 litres at a go. The decision was taken to avoid hanky-panky by those who may wish to take the advantage of the subsidy to make brisk business.
“Azman is guided by Federal Government’s directive to be compassionate to the masses, who bear the brunt of buying the commodity with tears in the past. This affirms the fact that with Azman setting the ball rolling, other filling stations would equally follow suit.”