Monday, September 04, 2006

Rigged petrol pumps

Sometimes it seems like corruption permeates every cell of existence here. An example from earlier this evening: For a change, we decided to buy petrol from the NNPC garage (the Nigerian National Petroleum Commission). Government-owned NNPC garages have a reputation for providing better quality fuel, so there's always a long and highly competitive queue jostling to get in, and lots of commotion once you're in the forecourt. More interesting is how much more fuel you get for your money. N4000 (around 17 pounds) fills the tank at NNPC, whereas the same amount of money only 3/4 fills the tank at all other garages in Abuja. Yes, you've got it: the petrol stations rig their meters. The fact that they get away with this theft in broad daylight is astonishing. What would it take to set up a monitoring body that spot-checked its way around the major cities?

8 comments:

the flying monkeys 8:39 pm  

rig their meters? I dont believe that

ayoke 8:41 pm  

Point of correction, Jeremy: People flock NNPC garages primarily because petrol is cheapest there.

That said, corruption in Nigeria is systemic and it is a phenomenon I'm still trying to understand. For now, maybe the monitoring body you propose can help. However, that is only dealing with the appearance of sore whilst ignoring the root cause of it.

Dami 8:59 pm  

did you complain ;)

Anonymous,  10:23 pm  

the last thing we need is another monitoring body. This will only breed more corruption.

bibi 6:59 am  

its so true... i can testify to that...wen there used to be power shortage back then wen i was still there, i was in charge of buying diesel for the gen, i would carry this 10 l keg.. and then wen i complain that its not full, they would say its not meant to be full that 10 l reaches somewhere around where the diesel was...so wat i did was buy a calibarated keg and went there the next day.. i noticed it was just 9.4 l... and then wen i showed them they were like...hmmm hmm..sha i dont think its all stations but then i still think its better than those who mix wid water..lol

Chxta 4:33 pm  

NNPC is about N 1.20 cheaper than all the others. By the time you are buying N4k worth of petrol, difference dey dey...

Anonymous,  1:32 am  

blog. blogging..bloggers... i perceive it's no different from what obtains in others parts of the world, but it does sound like static on an antiquated radio.
think for a change!

Anonymous,  5:44 pm  

Dude I've come across a fuel station in SE London (it was just on the A205 in catford area) that I'm sure was rigged as it happened a couple of times

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