The Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas
Workers (NUPENG) has confirmed that there is no
kerosene in any of the depots in Lagos.
The union said the product was not available in both
depots belonging to the Nigerian National Petroleum
Corporation ( NNPC) and private operators in Lagos.
Mr Rotimi Benjamin, the National Chairman of the
Surface Tank Kerosene Peddlers (SUTAKEP) Branch of
NUPENG, told News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos
that Kerosene was last brought to the depots on Dec.
27.
Benjamin, who is also the Vice-Chairman of NUPENG,
Lagos Zonal Council, said that scarcity of Kerosene had
made its price to go up, thus making it unaffordable for
the masses.
He urged the Federal Government to come to the aid of
the masses, who could not afford the price of cooking
gas, by making Kerosene available at the depots and
filling stations.
The NUPENG chief said, ''It is very sad that things are
going on this way; for the past two weeks, there is no
supply of Kerosene to any of the depots in Lagos.
''The two refineries in the country have not been
pumping kerosene to the depots.
''This has forced the marketers that have the product in
their stations to increase it by over 60 per cent.
''This is not the right time for our refineries to stop
Kerosene production, as everybody cannot depend on
gas.
''Common man cannot afford the price of cylinder and
cooking gas. Our mothers in the village depend on
Kerosene, an essential household commodity, to cook.
''Government should address the issue and alleviate the
sufferings of the masses by making the product
available.'' He said.
However, NAN Correspondent reports in Lagos that
most stations in the metropolis did not have the
product in the stock.
Few filling stations with the product were selling it at
exorbitant prices ranging from N285 to N300 per litre as
against the official price of N83 per litre.
Some kerosene consumers in Lagos appealed to the
Federal Government to assist the masses by making the
product available for them at a reduced price.
In her comments, Mrs Moradeyo Adisa, a widow, who
resides at No 10, Abeokuta St., Ilasamaja area of Lagos,
said that she bought a bottle of kerosene for N250.
Adisa said that the product was sold for N300 per litre
in the filling station against the official price of N83.
She urged government to do something about it to
make life more bearable for the masses.
Another consumer, Mrs Kikelomo Joseph, a 67-year-old
food vendor at Agege area, said that she had turned to
firewood to cook her food because kerosene was
expensive.
''Instead of spending over N3, 000 on kerosene to
prepare food for my customers, I have adjusted to
using firewood, because it is a bit cheaper.''
The official price of Kerosene in all the NNPC and
major marketers was N83 per litre.
