By Harry Awurumibe, Editor, Abuja Bureau
With petroleum products gradually available at many retail outlets in Abuja, motorists and other end-users of the essential products are still paying higher than the approved pump prices.
Prompt News reports that the Premium Motor Spirits (PMS) popularly known as petrol is being sold at different prices at different retail outlets in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja.
While Shema and Sons Filling Station near Gudu Market at Gudu-Apo District is selling fuel at N168 per litre to the public,
A.A Rano Oil & Gas Ltd. at Area 3, Garki sold the same product at official price of N163 per litre which was approved by the Nigerian authorities.
Most Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) retail outlets in the metropolis are also dispensing the product to motorists at N163 per litre.
However, investigations revealed that most of the retail outlets that are selling PMS at unofficial prices are members of the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN) whose leadership has vowed not to sell the products at same price NNPC is currently dispensing to the public.
It was this argument that resulted to panic buying and hoarding of fuel by motorists and marketers which also brought about the recent artificial scarcity of the products with its attendant long queues across Nigeria.
