An acute fuel shortage has hit the Tamale Municipality for the last two days and motorists have accused the filing stations of hoarding in anticipation of an increase in price.

Motorists who spoke to the GNA called on the security agencies to intervene and make sure that no fuel is hoarded.

Filling station managers in the municipality have however denied hoarding any fuel and blamed the Bulk Oil Storage and Transport (BOST) for creating the artificial shortage.

They said that though there was enough fuel at the BOST warehouse at Buipe in the Northern Region, it has continuously supplied far below their request, hence the shortage.

Mr K.A. Djan, Mobil (Old Market) filling station manager, said any time he ordered for 6,000 gallons of petrol, he was given between 1,000 and 2,000 gallons.

This, he said, creates panic buying because people are not sure whether there would be a shortage or price increase.

Shell Company, which is dominating the petroleum sector in Tamale, has come under serious criticisms for causing the crisis in the municipality.

Mr Abass Dauda, a motorist, said the two Shell filling stations at Sakasaka put up a "no fuel" notice on Monday morning but started selling a limited quantity last night though they did not get any fresh supplies.

Mr Yaw Amponsah, assistant manager of Savelugu road Shell filling Station, denied hoarding the fuel and said what was left was the "desk top", which is the minimum quantity a filling station is required to keep.

He said such fuel would not even come out of the fuel pump. Efforts to get in touch with BOST for its comments proved futile as the telephone link between Tamale and Buipe was faulty.