Motorists and commuters in Damaturu, have urged the Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR) to sanction petrol stations not selling the product and creating artificial scarcity.
The respondents spoke with the News the Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in separate interviews on Monday, alleging that some petrol stations deliberately closed their stations in anticipation of hike in price.
Alhaji Usman Kachalla, a motorist, said most of the petrol stations closed for business in spite of the availability of petrol in their stations.
“Even when government made it clear that, it will not remove subsidy and prices will remain the same, they have refused to sell the products hoping for increase in price.
“This is an economic sabotage which must be dealt with accordingly; such stations should be forced to sell their products and sanctioned,” he said.
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Bukar Mohammed, another motorist, said the law must take its cause against erring petrol stations working against national interests.
“This is how it starts, first artificial scarcity then prices of goods and services will suddenly jump up most especially now that government has announced the N30,000 new minimum wage,” Bukar said.
Hajiya Hafsatu Sule, a house wife, urged government to take early measures against inflation following the signing of the new minimum wage bill.
“If hoarding of petrol is allowed to persist, it will set in inflation on prices of other commodities before the implementation of the new minimum wage,” Sule said.
Some commuters traveling to different places, told NAN that transport fares have not been increased but the petrol scarcity should not be allowed to continue because, it may lead to increase in fares.
NAN reports that, a four liter gallon of petrol is sold at N800 by roadside vendors against N580 official price at the filling stations.(NAN)
