Aden Gas Stations Partially Reopen Amid Long Queues, Price Gouging, and Regulatory Failure

A partial resumption of domestic gas sales in Aden, the interim capital, commenced Monday evening, immediately resulting in extensive queues of vehicles and gas cylinders, exacerbating the severe shortage gripping the city for several days.

Local sources confirmed that several station owners resumed operations and began refilling cylinders; however, this reopening was marred by significant congestion and prolonged lines. Furthermore, instances of misconduct were reported, where some proprietors allegedly demanded payments of no less than five thousand Yemeni Riyals to allow citizens direct access to the station, bypassing the established queueing system.

These exploitative practices are occurring amid a near-total absence of regulatory oversight concerning the distribution and sale of cooking gas. This lack of accountability has been leveraged by certain station owners to secure illicit profits, thereby intensifying the hardship faced by households and denying many access to essential cooking fuel.

The limited reopening followed directives issued just one day prior by Abdulrahman Al-Sheikh, the Minister of State and Governor of Aden, who instructed the Yemeni Gas Company, the Office of Industry and Trade, and district directors to urgently resolve the domestic gas crisis.

The Governor had previously granted the relevant authorities a one-week deadline to definitively end the shortage, mandating the submission of a detailed report on the corrective measures taken. He emphasized that the local authority would conduct field monitoring and would not tolerate any negligence affecting citizens' essential needs.

It is noted that the Yemeni Gas Company had previously announced the delivery of 763 gas tankers to the governorates of Aden, Taiz, Lahij, and Hadhramaut during the first three weeks of February, representing an increase of 420 tankers above scheduled allocations, totaling a 55 percent surplus.