The Rivers State Government on January 24, 2011, declared on the air waves that henceforth sale of fuel in jerry cans is banned.
The commissioner for Information and Communication, Ibim Semenitari made the announcement on behalf of the Rivers State government.
According to Ibim Semeritari, 24-hours surveillance has been put in place against any filling station that would go against this directive.
This is in spite of irregular electricity supply and the dependence on power generating sets by residents of PortHarcourt in both their offices and in their homes. This of course, implies the purchase of fuel with jerry cans for the generating sets.
The Newswriter crew went into the streets of PortHarcourt to get the reactions of the residents and the effect of the ban on their private and business lives. Here are their reactions;
Mama T of Mile One Diobu, a civil servant, in her opinion said that the Governor should think before coming out to pronounce any statement that will not augur well with the people he vowed to protect their interest.
Daniel is a filling station attendant in one of the filling stations in Port Harcourt, Mile One Diobu. Reacting to the ban, he has this to say, “Well power is in Amaechi’s hand so we will do anything he likes. It is believed that when there is no light in Port Harcourt city, the filling station attendants make their gains, as customers, mostly plant owners, will come with their jerry-cans to buy fuel in order to power their plants. This is where the filling station attendants make their profit apart from their regular monthly take home pay.”
Felicia reacted in this manner, “well it is because the light is not constant, those who have generators buy fuel in plenty jerry-cans, so as to have enough fuel to power their generators.” She advised the state governor to assure residents of fuel user in the state that power will be constant and this buying of fuel in jerry-cans will be checked.
In one of the filling stations in mile one Diobu, a filling station attendant was advising buyers to come with their jerry-cans anytime there is no light, stating that whether the governor has announced the ban of buying fuel in jerry-cans or not, his station will sell in Jerry-cans, though he is aware of few filling stations at Aba road that the state government had banned for selling fuel in jerry-cans.
As this reporter was interacting with those with him on the issue, a young man of about 23 years was seen passing 10 litres of fuel in a jerry-can and was confronted by our reporter on where he got the fuel. He said he got it at garrison for N1,000, adding that the ban cannot work because it it unrealistic.
In town Port Harcourt, our reporter confronted a music shop operator on how he is coping with the government decision on the ban of sale of petrol on jerry-cans. Mr. Johnny, that is his name, was not aware that the governor has banned sale of fuel in jerry-cans.
Surprised at the decision, he said maybe the government wanted to stop those dealing in black market. According to Mr. Johnny, if the government wants to stop black market dealers in the state, the government should also provide other alternative means whereby those using generators could not suffer innocently from other people’s sins or misdeeds.
Despite the ban on sale of fuel in jerry-cans, some filling stations are having a field day making much gain in selling petrol in jerry-cans, even as few filling stations are reportedly closed down, because of selling fuel in jerry-cans.
Briefing the media on the development in her office, the state Commissioner for Information and Communications, Mrs. Ibim Semenitari said, the energy and natural resources ministry has been mandated to shut down erring filling stations that would not comply.
In his remarks, energy and natural resources commissioner, Hon. Okey Amadi said, his ministry had already taken proactive steps to ensure that defaulting marketers are apprehended.
“It has become apparent that some unpatriotic and criminally minded individuals are diverting products meant for Rivers State to other places”, Hon. Amaechi added.
The energy commissioner disclosed that over 15 trucks were intercepted in the last three weeks by different police and military formations in the state, but their owners have failed to show up to claim them, noting that many of the trucks cannot be traced because of faulty and misleading documentation.
The commissioner also regretted that although the state gets the highest quantity of products, it is not seen at the stations and warned that tough time awaits any marketer who violates this directive.
Even as the ban is still in place due to the economic importance of fuel to the day to day reality of running plants in fuel this law or ban seemed not to be recognized by users of fuel in the state.
Mr. Clement Bassey, an Akwa Ibomite and an electronic repairer who spoke with The Newswriter in Diobu axis of Port Harcourt metropolis, said the ban on the use of jerry cans by the government to get fuel from the filling station has added additional hardship to residents of Port Harcourt
According to him, instead of our normal way of buying fuel with our jerry cans which was very easy for us, the state government has compelled us to carry along our generators tank to the filling stations which cost a lot of money, because before we could purchase fuel from filling stations, we have to charter a taxi to take us to the place, “going and coming back.”
Mr. Bassey appealed to the state government to reverse the ban as it has affected the individuals
In the same vein, Mr. Anthony Williams who hails from Abua/Odual LGA said the ban on using jerry can to get fuel from the filling stations by the government was not helping matters; rather it is only to suffer the common man because such will not prevent the filling station owners from selling to business men.
According to him, not all Nigerians who use fuel have cars, some use it for business.
He suggested that the only remedy for this is for government to set a taskforce that will monitor filling stations day and night and punish those who sell the fuel to business men as well as make it mandatory to ensure no one buys fuel more than twenty litres.
“I sincerely disagree with the ban on sale of petrol in jerry cans because it helps motorists buy some petrol on the high ways when they get dried up without having any filling station nearby. People should be allowed to buy in jerry cans but not in large quantity as such and also sellers of filling stations should not hoard the fuel,” Gift Jimmy Umoren who asked, stated.
“I am Elder Monday Umoren, living in Diobu. In fact ban on sale of fuel in jerry cans as announced by the Rivers State governor is seen as an economic blockade. It does not go down well with motorists because if your car stops along the road for lack of fuel the only alternative is to run down to fuel station with a jerry can and purchase enough for the car. I plead to the governor to peg the ban to 20 litres only, to enable motorists and generator users have access to fuel,” said another man.
“My name is Mr. Daddy Krukrubo, a businessman. In fact the ban of sales of petrol in jerry cans is very much welcome. But I feel the government should have sympathy for generator users. These set of people will not be able to carry their generators to the filing stations to buy fuel, so the govt should allow 50 kg jerry cans to be used instead of large quantity of purchases,” a man stated ###
By Senibo Cookey, Allanso Jonathan Allanso & Emeka Jilly Ejiowhor
