SEC S5W3: News Diary Game 25/10/2022 : Petrol Scarcity caused by Flood
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Steem Greetings Everyone,
The Steemit Engagement Challenge Season 5 weeek 3 is here and this is my entry for the theme of this week's topic from this community.
It's no news that my state, Bayelsa as a whole is suffering from flood due to heavy rainfalls and the opening of the Cameron Dam as reported by various journalists in this community. Earlier this month, my friend @Starrchris reported this news first-hand in this community. Today reporting live is your correspondent @Sahmie on its dire effects.
In my diary today is how dire the effects of this flood have been on the economy of not just my City, but the entire state.
 | Bayelsa State, Nigeria. What3words Location |
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Like every other day, the morning came, with the sun smiling right down on us, getting up from bed, I carried out the morning routine of personal hygiene and my household chores.
As a norm, after the morning chores, it was time to get going to work, but due to the flood, work is put on hold as the cost of living is at its highest level. Since I wasn't going to work, I took the time to get our lunch in motion as the kids wanted plantain cakes for snacks at lunch, so I helped peel the plantains and chopped them into little pieces and sun them.
 Choping the plantains |  plantains Left to dry |
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Finishing with the plantains, I was asked to go get petrol for our petrol generator as there was no power supply due to transformers being submerged under water. The water level is so high that it gets to the window levels of some buildings while in other areas, a full building is submerged.
 A submerged building |  A submerged building |
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The only buildings safe from being submerged are those located by the roadside and those on the highlands. So I set out to get petrol, like every other people crossing the flood water on a boat unknown to me, there is petrol scarcity like most foodstuffs due to the state being disconnected from nearby states with the flood damaging the connecting roads.
 me on a boat crossing to the major road |  Other crossing to the major road |
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I must say, every petrol station I came across was either locked up or out of petrol, I made my way around town on foot as a once busy road is now as calm as a graveyard. Moving from petrol station to petrol station with the same output, "No petrol".
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In the midst of this, I kept running into people who sell petrol by the roadside, popularly known as "Black Marketers", but I wasn't ready to patronise them, as their price was on the higher side. A petrol litre which normally sold for N175 (0.99 steems) is sold for NGN 600 - NGN 800 (3.39 - 4.51 steems) all in the name of maximising profit, which contributed to the cost of living being skyrocketed as Transportation of goods and services is also now on the higher side.
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This led to the closure of so many stores and transport workers, thus, the empty roads. As I kept going, I came across a petrol station with vehicles and humans queued up to get petrol, I join in as this is the only station I was able to see after a long walk. Those who couldn't wait any longer got petrol from the black marketers and went home, I waited for over 4 hours to get petrol at the rate of NGN 350 (1.97 steems) per litre, so I filled my 25-litre can for NGN 8,750 (49.37 steems) .
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It was already nightfall when I got back home, I filled the petrol generator with the petrol I'd bought, put it on and went straight to the bathroom to freshen up and came for my Plantain cake as dinner instead.
 Dinner is served |  Having my share |
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As I said earlier, the day was much like the popular nursery rhyme, "The day is bright, it's bright and fair". The sun was all smiling on me, thus, it was a bright, clear, and sunny day from the dawn of the day till the dusk of the night.
It was stressful for me as I had to work long distances to get petrol, but other than that, I was okay. I must say I felt like crying at one point, which explains the fact why I excluded my face from the later photos. Other than that, it was a bright day.
I like to invite @preye2, @ruthjoe and @fredquantum, and any other persons who would like to participate too to CLICK HERE for more instructions.
| PHOTO DETAILS | |
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| Photographer | @Sahmie |
| Camera Device | Redmi note 11 |
| Camera | Rear |
| Pixels | 50MP |
| Category | Lifestyle, Transportation |
| Location | Yenagoa, Bayelsa. Nigeria |
Thank you all for always making out time to go through my work, and I only hope you enjoyed it😉😁. I can never say thank you enough. You are my real MVPs.
NOTE: Always have a smile on your face, as you are never fully dressed without one.
It's pathetic to learn about the disasters flood has caused in your community. In fact, its effect across the world is something very pathetic at the moment.
You can imagine how this has led to fuel scarcity and the black marketers utilizes a situation like this to exploit others which is quite cruel.
There is a popular petroleum firm here known as Bovas, regardless of how scarce the product is, they still maintain the main price before the scarcity. That said, during a period of scarcity like this, Bovas stops selling to customers coming with containers because they are quite aware many would convert the purchased product to that of the black market.
Only vehicles are attended to at Bovas at those times of extreme scarcity and even with limits (liter of purchase). People like me who only use a container to get fuel for my power generator find it hard to buy from Bovas as such miss the opportunity to buy low, even though people had to wait for long hours before it reach their turn on the queue.
I really hope the effect of the flooding is suppressed sooner because it has cost a lot of people their lives, properties, livelihoods, and so on. Thanks for sharing an important piece about your place and for inviting me. Good luck
Wow! This is powerful, more like an entry on its own.
Indeed its pathetic how they act, most of this black marketers buy petrol from this same petrol stations that are locked up at night at a cheaper rate only to sell at higher rates during the day all in the vains of "Opportunity comes but Once" to them, its an opportunity to make money for them while suffering others. Our motor roads are very empty these days. But hopefully we escape this troubles as the water level seems to be reducing as noticed for the past 3 days. Thank you for your support. I appreciate your kindness.
TEAM 1
Congratulations! This post has been upvoted through steemcurator04. We support quality posts , good comments anywhere and any tags.This really saddens me, as I am equally feeling the effects of this flood disaster happening in major States of the country, especially in Bayelsa state.
The fuel prices might even continue to increase until this flood decides to go down. In times like this, it's advisable to always stay safe and try as much as you can to avoid the waters.
Thanks for inviting me and goodluck in this contest. I will sure participate on this one.
Brother, it is really painful we could be this wicked among ourselves. But in all cases, we smile and move on. The flood won't be around for ever.
TEAM 5 CURATORS
This post has been upvoted through steemcurator08. We support quality posts anywhere and with any tags.
Curated by: @pelon53
Thank you @pelon53 and to the whole TEAM 5 CURATORS for your dedication to work.
Voting CSI | 8.7 ( 0.00 % self, 73 upvotes, 53 accounts, last 7d )
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It's a pity!
So many business closed down because of this natural disaster, I'm still imagining how people are surviving.😢
You are really trying, even with fuel scarcity, you are still active. How do you cope?
Thanks for sharing your diary with us, the news are everywhere.
Stay strong and these will pass.
Success!
My dear, it's not been easy but we applied wisdom to it. We prepared ourselves for the flood when we saw the water rising.
We were able to buy some of the domestic needs such as foodstuffs and petrol. We normally buy petrol from 40 Litre upward, so we don't get to find petrol for at least 2-3weeks so that was exactly what we did.
About me being always active is of two factors, I have a mobile phone with a powerful battery that if charged full at night doesn't need charging till night again, and it takes only 1hr:10min to run from 0% to 100%. The second factor is that with the flood case everyone is based at home as schools, businesses and workshops are closed down. I must say, I appreciate your concerns. Remain Blessed.
Upvoted! Thank you for supporting witness @jswit.
Greetings @sahmie I am sorry your country is going through such a huge flood disaster. Leading to the death of many Nigerians. I saw it on the news.
Couple with that there is petrol shortage in your state
The "Black Marketers" use the situation at their advantage. And it is rather unfortunate they do so. This simply shows how Humans may be wicked some times.
In all you eat even in this difficult situation.
Good writing @sahmie
Good luck for the contest
@fonjougiresse
Sure, food is needed in the body, so we need to eat.
Thank you for your undying support. We hope to get of this soon.
You are welcome
The flood has wrecked so much havoc It's saddening to hear that a lot of people died as a result of that flooding. Our hearts are with the family of the deceased. God grant them fortitude to bear the loss.
The issue has now led to a scarcity of gas and oil in the region. It's well. I hope the government finds something to do with the issue so as to avoid its reoccurrence.
Thank you for your heartfelt contribution, it is indeed a sad sad situation over here. But in all, we must put on a smiling face in hope of things normalising soon. Thank you once again.
The impact of the flood in Bayelsa is really alarming. Well I never knew you are from that place not until I went through this post....mehn! How have you been coping.
I've been seeing all manner of picture on the internet about the damage caused by the flood. Facing scarcity of fuel in the midst of this is not palatable at all...sigh!
My prayers are with you and yours over there.♥️
My dear, I am a full blooded Bayelsan, have live all my life.
The situation is dire, but as always seen in news outlets. Some certain areas, I must say are very alarming, the rural villages especially. I currently resides at the capital city so I can say its not troubling as the rural towns.
Thank you for your hearty compassion. Have a wonderful day.