The people of Sissala East Municipal and the adjoining Sissala West District have been hit with a nightmare in accessing fuel from sale points.
According to locals, the fuel shortage began in the last two weeks but has gradually worsened to an acute stage, where little to no fuel is available for daily use.
The shortage is limited to super (petrol), as diesel is still available at some fuel stations, mainly accessed by users of heavy-duty vehicles.
This development has left motorbike and vehicle users stranded, particularly many teachers who rely on riding to and from schools in distant communities.
Many blame fuel smugglers for exacerbating the situation, as some have reported seeing a few fuel stations selling fuel to smugglers in gallons, presumably to transport it to neighboring Burkina Faso.
Nearly 20 fuel stations in the two districts have shown signs of running out of fuel at their pumps.
One teacher, who spoke about the issue, lamented her plight, explaining that she was forced to buy fuel from roadside sellers in gallons at exorbitant prices just to be able to go to work.
Ibrahim Doctar Fatawu, an ICT tutor at Tumu Senior High Technical School, expressed his frustration over the toll this situation has taken on the daily lives of working motorists in town.
A person who spoke anonymously blamed the shortage on a deliberate action by the outgoing government, suggesting that it was orchestrated so the new government could be blamed for the crisis.
A fuel station supervisor in Tumu revealed that the situation could be traced to a general lack of fuel at the primary source in Accra but hastened to add that his station was doing all it could to secure a supply for its customers.
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