Petrol Pump Price Increase: NUJ Fumes, Says Market Forces Unjustified; Residents Of Ondo Lament

By Ayodele Oni

Nigeria Union of Journalists, (NUJ) reacting to the hike in petrol Pump price called for its reversal as it will lead to more suffering for Nigerians.

In Akure, Ondo state, some resident were caught unaware with the new pump price, asking President Bola Tinubu not to put more load on them.

NUJ statement, signed by the national secretary, Shuaibu Usman Leman, states “NUJ is alarmed at the just announced increase in the pump price of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) to N617 per litre in Abuja and N568 in Lagos respectively.

“This development has already triggered astronomical increases in transportation costs, with prices of food items soaring almost beyond the reach of many citizens, even as users of generators to power their homes are already groaning uncontrollably under the present situation.

“While we applaud the decision to remove the costly subsidies on fuel, however we had cautioned against a hasty implementation of the policy without putting mitigating measures in place to cushion the excruciating effects.

“We are saddened by the fact that today most people can hardly commute to work or other places of business without too much stress because the embarrassing sudden surge in petrol prices has made it so.

“We believe that this sudden decision is an over kill and we urge that the situation should be reversed immediately, while adequate measures are considered and put in place to lessen the effects on ordinary Nigerians.”

Residents of Akure who reacted to the situation in an interview with newsmen lamented that people were caught unaware by the sudden increase which they said would have a devastating effect on the already battered economy with inflation more than 22.8%.

They charged President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to look into the devastating situation of the economy occasioned by fuel subsidy removal, in order to reduce suffering of the downtrodden in various parts of the country.

Two of the residents, Mr Peter James and Mr Olusegun Adeola described the development as inflicting more hardship on Nigerians.

Adeola said, “we didn’t elect President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to inflict on us more suffering that is killing. Any policy that doesn’t have human face is bad policy.

“He (Tinubu) should review the situation immediately before people troop out to the streets against him and his government.”

Also Mr James lamented that “can you imagine that we have elected more suffering. We suffered for 8years under (Muhammadu) Buhari, we are now suffering; we can’t take our children to schools, we can’t do business effectively before now and this is another increase in pump price. What is our offence, they should have mercy on poor Nigerians before it is too late.”

They appealed that Tinubu’s government should urgently roll out reasonable palliatives for the masses or reverse to considerable prices.

Investigation from a fuel dealer in Ikare Akoko said that they refused to sell as they didn’t know how much to sell as it will be very difficult for them to lift the new product with the recent outrageous pump price.

The dealer disclosed that many will be forced out of business and many workers will loose jobs.