Prices of petroleum products have gone up by 100% in Kaduna State as a result of the strike action embarked upon by members of the National Union of Petroleum, Energy and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG). Fuel scarcity has meanwhile been reported in neighbouring states, including in the Nigerian capital, Abuja.

Investigations by News Express showed that many filling stations are not selling petrol, leaving transporters at the mercy of black marketers, who are having a field day right on the periphery of filling stations.

One gallon of petrol which used to be sold for N500 in Kaduan now sells for N850 - N900. At the Total Filling station along Gen. Muhammadu Buhari Way, petrol attendants were sighted sitting under a mango tree discussing the development while hustlers sold petrol in various sizes of jerry cans to desperate vehicles owners.

Mustapha Aliyu, a hustler at the NNPC Mega Station along Alkali Road, said he got his products from a filling station located at Rigasa, a suburb of Kaduna metropolis, at the cost of N800 per gallon, which he sold for N900. He said he paid N200 to transport the 25-liter jerry can of fuel to Kaduna metropolis.

Due to the increase in petrol price, transport fare in Kaduna State has soared. A bus ride from Sabo to Central Market Bus Stop which used to be done with N80 now costs N150 while from Kawo to Mando is now N100.

The increase in transport fares took many residents of Kaduna by surprise. Commuters interviewed said they were not aware of the strike, which began yesterday. Mr. Michael Timothy, a civil servant, said he left his house and paid the normal fare but was forced to pay higher fare on return journey to Malali.

However, Mrs. Regina Audu, a banker with one of the new generation banks, said her problem is not the increase in fare but the non-availability of commercial vehicles.

As at the time of filing this report long queues of commuters could be sighted along major streets of Kaduna, even with the threatening of rainfall.

The three-day warning strike by NUPENG is part of the union’s efforts to pursue its demand for an end what it termed unfair labour practices by some international oil companies (IOCs) toward its members.

•Photo, courtesy of Leadership, shows stranded commuters as well as vehicle queues.

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