Kerosene scarcity still persists in Jos, the Plateau State capital, weeks after the Federal Government's promise to make the product available to consumers at the approved pump price of N50 per litre. An investigation revealed that most filling stations were still without the product, a situation that made consumers to be at the mercy of the "black marketeers." The surface tank sellers of the product were now selling a litre of the product at between N130 and N150.

The few filling stations with the product preferred to sell to the "black marketeers," who paid more than the normal pump price.

At the NNPC Mega Station, Jos, several people were seen waiting on long queues, only to be told later that the product was unavailable.

Some consumers who spoke to NAN said that the situation had compelled them to resort to the use of firewood to meet their domestic needs.

Mrs Rose Moses, a housewife, who said that kerosene had remained the source of her energy supply in the last 10 years, expressed regret that its current scarcity had become a nightmare to her.

"Since the scarcity started, the Mega Station has remained one place where I go to for supply, but today appears different," she said.

Mrs Christiana Dung, another housewife, said that kerosene was the cheapest source of energy for many Nigerians.

She said that she patronised the NNPC Mega Station because it was the only outfit that sold the product at the approved price, adding: "but it is like it is no more available there too."

The situation had improved in some states, especially Lagos, Ondo and Kaduna where the 'kero direct scheme' had been launched.

When contacted for comments on why the scheme had not been launched in Plateau, the Department for Petroleum Resources (DPR), Jos Office, said it was the responsibility of the state government to take the initiative.

"Kero Direct is the initiative of state governments in states where it was launched," Mr Abubakar Idris, the DPR Operations Controller, said.

Idris said that the responsibility of DPR was to regulate the upstream and downstream (production and marketing) of the oil and gas industry and to ensure that it was done according to specifications.

The operations controller said the DPR would only monitor the project when the Plateau Government decided to import the product and sell to its citizens.

"If the Plateau government decides to make kero direct a priority, ours will be to advise it on the right thing to be done," he added.

Daily Champion/21/09/2011