· How he wormed his way into people’s hearts
You could feel a power passing from his build to the breathless city’s dark abyss; when Vice President (VP) Yemi Osinbajo visited Lagos, the coastal city stood still in appreciation of the man whose unpretentious humility and compassion soothed the nerves of troubled motorists and commuters alike.
As he arrived in Lagos on Christmas Eve, Osinbajo visited some fuel stations in the city to examine how they are selling fuel to motorists. He also seized the opportunity to find out how the citizenry are coping with the fuel scarcity.
In a manner characteristic of leader who understands the miseries of his people, the VP went round, engaging in light banter with motorists and commuters. He listened to their complaints and offered soothing words to them; he cracked jokes with them and assured them that the lingering fuel scarcity would be over soon as the All Progressives Congress (APC) government, led by President Muhammadu Buhari, is pulling all the stops to end the fuel scarcity immediately.
He visited Heyden Oil and Oando filling station among others, to encourage them and examine the quality of services offered by the outfits.
There is no doubt about Osinbajo’s concern for the poor, helpless citizenry of the country. In the last two years as VP, he has proved that he’s a man of the people. But the VP and his principal, President Buhari would need to do more to actualize seamless distribution of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), across the country.
While VP Osinbajo assured the citizenry that fuel would be available soon, the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN) has said it is impossible to PMS at government-approved price because the costs and margins of importing the commodity stands between N160 and N167/litre.
The group said only a special intervention from the government to enable them access foreign exchange at a special rate will make the N145 pump price of fuel viable. Mike Osatuyi, National Operations Controller of IPMAN, said the problem became more pronounced following the increase in the international price of crude oil to $59 per barrel.
Osatuyi made these comments while explaining the fuel scarcity currently being experienced across the country.
“The problem is that the importation (of petrol) is being handled almost 100 per cent by the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation as private importers have backed out because the increase in crude price has made the landing cost enter subsidy,” Osatuyi said.
The on going fuel scarcity has led to a more than 100% increase in the transportation prices.
Before the crisis, bus fare from Abuja to Onitsha, Anambra State, was between N4,500 and N5,500, but it currently hovers between N12,000 and N15,000.
Reports say petrol sell at N250 to N350 per litre in almost all the country’s cities except Lagos and Abuja, where queues stretch for several kilometres.
