Gas price fuels anger in Edo, protesters blame black market

Hardship caused by the rising price of fuel has continued to intensify in Edo state, prompting residents, blaming black marketers, to protest in Benin City on Monday, writes ADEYINKA ADEDIPE

As the broadcast of the protest against the rise in fuel prices in Edo state was broadcast on various online platforms on Sunday, the residents of Benin City knew what to expect on January 30, the day set aside by civil society organizations for the protest .

The tone of the message indicated that the organizers were ready to lock down the city to push through their demand for a reduction in the price of fuel, which was selling for more than N500 per litre.

In an online pamphlet by the organizers, the places reserved for the protest were University of Benin (Ugbowo) Main Entrance, Sapele Road at Limit Junction, Ramat at Aduwawa, Ring Road, Adesuwa at Government Reserved Area, Country Home Road at Ugbor Road, Ogheghe via Sapale Road Bye Pass, Edo Street at Irhirhi and Plymouth Road at Ekhehuan Road.

On the day of the protest, most private schools did not open. School authorities sent text messages to parents as early as 6am letting them know that classes would not take place and urging parents to keep their children at home due to the planned protest. Motorists who had the courage to come out hung leaves on their windshields in solidarity, while others who had no urgent business to attend to in the city stayed indoors, a wise decision given the prevailing situation.

To avoid a disturbance of public order, there was a large presence of security officers on the ring road and other areas where the protest was to take place. There were also security personnel in other parts of the city as the state government was willing to ensure the protest was not hijacked by crooks.

On Tuesday, The PUNCH rallied that crooks on Evbuotubu and Ugbuyioko roads burned tires on paved roads in an attempt to hijack the protest, while the Uselu axis on the Lagos-Benin Expressway was blocked by mobs.

However, Edo State security agents and civil society organizations, led by the former General Coordinator, Comrade Omobude Agho, went there to disperse them and inform them (the demonstrators) that the protest should remain peaceful.

Agho said those burning tires on the road cannot be described as crooks, but rather aggrieved members of the public who felt it was the only way to air their grievances. He stated that unfulfilled promises on the part of the government at the state and federal level led to the protest.

He said: “The protest, although suspended, has been very effective as the government came out with a statement to address the situation for the first time since the start of the fuel crisis. We also met with Communications and Guidance Commissioner, Chris Nekhihare, and his Mining and Energy counterpart, Ethan Uzamere, where decisions were made to find a solution to the problem.

“I don’t agree that those burning tires are crooks, but it’s members of the public who react that way in their own way. We support them, but urge them not to destroy property. You cannot hit a child and tell that child not to cry. This fuel crisis has been going on for a few weeks now and the government at the federal and state level has kept quiet as if there was no problem.

“So what does the government expect people to do? The lizard is invited into the house by the person who brings in an ant-infested piece of wood. So those people who burn tires are not gangsters, and they have a right to protest.

“We were able to diffuse the situation because people know and trust us. The police cordoned off the place and we were able to move in and talk to them; they removed the barricade and we were able to calm the situation. People will trust the government if it communicates well with them.

“There is no trust between the government and the people because the political class and by extension the government have made several unfulfilled promises. People have lost faith in them, even though the politicians come with good intentions. And because people don’t believe them anymore, civil society comes to close the gap.”

He also urged the government to monitor the activities of black marketers, who he said colluded with unscrupulous petrol station attendants.

He added: “Black marketers need to be discouraged so the fuel can stay at the filling stations where people can get the products from. Wherever you see black marketers, chase them and don’t feel sorry for them because they are poor. Everyone who is bad, rich or poor, is bad.

“Wherever we catch a black marketer, we confiscate and convert the fuel, and if you have nothing to do with the fuel, dispose of it. So if those on the black market don’t have the fuel, the gas stations will be forced to sell at the right price.

“The gas stations that sell above the price agreed upon by the federal government will also be pecked. We know them, we know where they are and we will get them,” he added.

Talakawa Parliament Speaker Kola Edokpayi said the protest was made because of the frustrating situation faced by the state’s people.

He said: “On Monday we took to the streets to protest because we were frustrated. We went out to vent our anger at the fuel crisis that rocked the state. Fuel is sold for between N350 and N700 at the filling stations, while black marketers sell it for N1000. This only happens in Edo, as the product is sold at regular price in many states.

“We took our protest to the government building, where we were received by the Speaker of the State House of Assembly, Hon. Marcus Onobun, and we delivered our communique to him. A few hours later, the government issued a statement announcing the establishment of a Petroleum Monitoring Committee, which we welcomed.

“We then decided to suspend the protest on Tuesday. But to our surprise, some people came out in different areas on Tuesday to burn tires. We visited Ramat Park, Lucky Way and New Benin where we talked to them about suspending the protest. However, there was still some protest in Uselu Shell.

“Hopefully, after the government comes up with a plan to end the fuel crisis, the protesters will leave the streets. We want to say that a responsive and accountable government should not wait for people to protest before doing the right thing.

“In areas where the crooks want to take over the protest despite the suspension, we have told them that the security agents have the power to arrest them,” he added.

With efforts to increase product availability and reduce price, the Edo state government revealed on Tuesday that the state has received 780,000 liters of product with a guarantee to end the crisis. The state government said the task force it set up to monitor the distribution and sale of the product at the filling stations has begun work.

At a press conference, Mining and Energy Commissioner Ethan Uzamere said the delivered product would be distributed to large and independent marketers. The commissioner stressed that the state government would monitor fuel sales to ensure members of the public were not being exploited by the gas station operators.

Nehikhare said that “the issue of the welfare of the citizens of Edo State is very crucial and the government is taking it seriously. We understand the problem of fuel scarcity and take it very seriously. While distribution will not take place here in Edo State, we will ensure that the quantity allocated to Edo State is kept and sold here. Not a single liter of the 780,000 liters may be diverted.”

He praised civil society organizations for the maturity shown in handling the protest, and promised that the government would continue to engage all stakeholders in an effort to find lasting solutions to the problem.

Osagie, the governor’s special adviser on media, stated that one of the task force’s responsibilities would be to monitor prices in the state.

“We want to warn people who inflate their prices that anyone caught will be severely punished according to the regulations of the law. The government will not take any prisoners in that regard as no Edo person is being exploited. We will be careful not to hurt the Edo people. This government is committed and will do everything it can to ensure normal gasoline prices in the state,” Osagie added.

A motorist, Niyi Ololade, who spoke to The PUNCH on Tuesday, said it was disheartening that Nigeria could degenerate to this level.

“I wouldn’t believe it if someone told me we would have to queue for fuel in this country,” he said.

“I can’t afford to buy for more than N500 a litre; that’s why I come to the NNPC mega station to queue for fuel. I also spend quality time here but I can’t do anything as I can’t afford to buy from other gas stations selling for more than N500.

“I must call on the government to find a solution to this problem before it degenerates further, as the protest may cause more problems for the country and the state,” he added.

A businesswoman who sells in Lagos Street but pleaded for anonymity said the protest exacerbates the naira exchange problem as things have been dull for about five days.

She added: “We were unable to open early today due to fear of being attacked by gangsters posing as protesters. We are already suffering from the naira exchange problem and the protest, which have exacerbated the problem. I hear the protest has been suspended, but we need to look over our shoulders before we open.”