LAGOS MAY 13TH (URHOBOTODAY)-Reactions have started pouring in against the unilateral increase of fuel pump price and deregulation of the downstream sector.
Yesterday Nigerian Labour Congress rejected the increase and called on the federal government to go back to the old pump price . It vowed to mobilize his members to protest against it if its request is not met.
In similar vein, Shehu Sani, the Senator representing Kaduna central on Thursday said the Muhammadu Buhari-led administration’s decision to increase the pump price of petroleum products is “insensitive and punitive”.
Mr. Sani, who is the chairman Senate committee on Foreign and Domestic debt, said in a statement that the decision was “most unfortunate”.
“At a time when poor Nigerians are facing enormous economic hardships and are being asked to be more patient all the NNPC can do is to add to their suffering,” he said, referring to the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation.
“It’s utterly irrational and illogical to further impoverish the people in order to achieve liberal self-serving liberal economic aspirations.
“It’s all evident that capitalist forces are holding the FG hostage and are blackmailing it to implement its inimical version of economic reforms. It makes no sense if everyone must perish in order to revamp the economy.
“Economic reforms are necessary but it must be done with a human face and human heart if it’s made in the interest of human beings.
“Outrageous increase in pump price is a social provocation. It’s possible to reform the oil sector without necessarily incinerating the country. We must not take the patience, the sacrifice and the good will of Nigerians for granted.
“I stand opposed to the increase in pump price and I call on PMB to weigh in on the NNPC to rescind the decision,” Mr. Sani insisted.
In another development, a former governor of Kaduna state, Balarabe Musa, has urged the Federal Government to reverse the N145 new petrol pump price introduced on Wednesday.
Mr. Musa, who is also a national leader of the Peoples Redemption Party (PRP), made the appeal in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Thursday in Kaduna.
He said the government’s action would inflict more pains on Nigerians.
“We are in trouble; the already bad situation will get worse and it will worsen the poverty level of Nigerians,” he said.
The politician said that he would support the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) planned mass protest to compel the Federal Government to reverse the decision.
He said the proceeds from the new price of the product would only benefit some persons and caucuses within government.
The former governor also urged Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) and well-meaning Nigerians to join in imploring the government to reverse the decision for the sake of the masses.
The Minister of State for Petroleum, Ibe Kachikwu, announced the new price of petrol on Wednesday.
The National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) has vowed to go violent with the Federal Government over the announcement of hike in fuel price, from N86.50 to N145.00.
Reacting yesterday to the new price regime announced late Wednesday through the Minister of State for Petroleum, Dr. Ibe Kachikwu, NANS threatened to shut down strategic government agencies in the oil sector, in particular, the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), Petroleum Products Pricing Regulatory Agency (PPPRA) and Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR).
NANS said the FG, with its new policy, is calling for the replication of mass protest of 2012 when fuel subsidy was removed by the last administration.
The student group said in a statement sent to News Express on Thursday afternoon: “So far that we are not violent does not mean we cannot go militancy to defend the popular pro-people position. We therefore urge our ever gallant Nigerian students to stay alert as we are ready to replicate our actions of 2012, occupy all Federal Roads, and shut down all NNPC, PPPRA and DPR offices, if the Federal Government refuses to address this timely.”
NANS declared the fuel price hike sorrowful, lamenting that it was done without considering the challenges and suffering which Nigerian masses are going through as a result of the economic instability in the country.
According to NASS, “In an attempt to solve a problem in the country, the Federal Government must realise that the opinion and convenience of the Nigerian masses which they represent as a result of the democratic mandate given to them must be adequately considered as all problems cannot be solved at a glance. To us, it seems the present leadership of the country has forgotten so soon the roles and contributions of Nigerian students and populace towards the actualisation of the change in leadership of the country.”
Noting that Nigerians are not smiling under the Muhammadu Buhari as they had expected, NANS said: “Song of sorrow makes the heart bleed, electricity supply does not justify increase in tariff, prices of commodities are going higher, hike in transport fares and many more issues have also affected the students’ populace as some higher institutions (UNILAG, UNIPORT, IMSU, AAUA…) are closed down, yet the wages remains the same.”
The group also lamented that National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) members still get N19,800 monthly allowance while the rate of jobless youths continues to increase. It described as pathetic, the Federal Government’s decision to compound the problems of the people by astronomically increasing the price of petrol.
“So, we Nigerian students have decided to resist this and prove our capacity that youths are the bedrock of any nation’s development. The most lethargic aspect of the scenario is the exclusion of youths and students in the reported meeting of various stakeholders that reviewed the anti-masses price of PMS, which our research reviewed that the price of petrol should not have exceeded N100.00 per litre even if the subsidy is removed,” NANS said.
The association, therefore, demanded that, as a matter of urgency, the Federal Government should reverse the price of petrol to what it used to be.

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