Buyers of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) popularly known as petrol in Abuja, yesterday said it had been a while they filled their car tanks to full capacity.
Investigations to find out why such car owners no longer fill their tanks showed that motorists only topped up fuel level.
A lawyer, Timi Fiebai, told newsmen that he had not been able to fill his car tank with petrol for more than one year.
He said “I can’t remember when I filled my tank last. When I’m going to work, I buy N2,000 worth of petrol every other day.
“If I buy N2,000 of petrol on Monday, I can use it for two days and must buy again on Wednesday.
“I have just been managing and coping.”
Another car owner, Musa Abba, sighted at a petrol station, also said he just topped a little to what he had.
He said “I used to fill my tank with N4,000 but now I buy half tank with same amount.
“So, on average, I just buy N2,000 worth of petrol three or four times a week and I can go about looking for my daily bread.”
An auto part dealer in Gudu market in FCT, Chijioke Elendu, who also has a car, said “I just buy small quantity of petrol in my car so I can attend to other needs.
“I know that things would soon get better; let’s just find a way to take care of ourselves for now.”
Mrs Iretiola Olowoodola, a civil servant however said, “Even if I buy N2,000 worth of petrol daily, it will finish in no time because I ply the Nyanya/Mararba route.
“I try to fill my tank because if my car stops along that road, I will suffer the consequence.
“That’s why you see people with jerry cans on that route always looking for fuel to buy when their car stops. If you buy full tank, you will still use it so why buy less?”
A petrol attendant who simply gave his name as Sani at A. Y. M Shafa filling station on Airport Road confirmed that there were indeed lesser cars filling their tanks to capacity.
He said, “Nowadays, some motorists buy N1,000 worth of petrol or less.
“I have sold N500 worth of petrol to jeep owners many times. Lesser cars now fill up these days.”
