Fuel hawking (black market) business in Port Harcourt is now being dominated by women as motorists find it increasingly difficult to get Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) at filling stations.
Forumspotz reports that the ‘black market’ business had been an all-male affair before now.
An investigation carried out by FS showed that the women usually positioned themselves around the filling stations, with their articles of the trade in jerry cans and plastic containers
Consequently, motorists who could not wait in the relatively long queues at filling stations, are compelled to patronise them at a higher price.
Miss Comfort Nwachukwu, one of the black marketers, told us that she joined the business because she had been unemployed and wanted to do something to survive.
She said while the filling stations sell at N97.00 per litre, at the ‘black market’, it is being sold for between N110 and N120 for the same quantity.
According to her, the business had paid off and she wished the situation would continue, but declined to say how much she takes home daily.
Nwachukwu simply said “the business is taking care of our family’s daily needs’’.
She said that she was aware of the dangers inherent in storing fuel in a house, but said God will not allow fire to come near her home or anywhere she kept the product.
Meanwhile, the gridlock in Port Harcourt City had become more challenging and uncomfortable for motorists and commuters as they stayed long hours in traffic.