Wrong Time For Fuel Price Hike, Says Afenifere

Wrong Time For Fuel Price Hike, Says Afenifere

Hardship Bites Harder As Nigerians Are Experiencing Undesirable Challenges

Hike in the price of petroleum products price is totally a wrong move by the Nigerian government which should be looking to ameliorate the living condition of the citizens

A country where citizens barely have means of survival. A country once described as ‘Africa’s Pride’, ‘Giant of Africa’- an envy of many neighbouring African countries is now thrown into chaos and hopelessness.

Citizens now lament as hopelessness looms in minds. The current hardship of the country emanated from wrong choice of political leaders and corruption in high places.

In recent months, Nigeria has been faced with enormous challenges and one of which is Fuel Scarcity which has now birthed and given rise to high purchasing power of the product.

However, on Wednesday, 4^th September, 2024, Afenifere, The Pan-Yoruba socio-political organisation, said that the hike in petrol price gives rise to major challenges faced by Nigerians daily and implored President Tinubu-led administration to revert the decision.

This is contained in a statement made by the soci0-political group through its spokesperson, Mr. Jare Ajayi, who admitted that Nigerians are passing through a series enormous harsh challenges and the increment in the price of the petroleum product is a wrong move at the moment.

Mr. Ajayi stated: “It is therefore a wrong time to come up with any policy that will increase the undesirable challenges Nigerians are going through presently.

“Failure by the NNPCL to reverse the latest increment in fuel price will rub off negatively on some policies of Tinubu administration to ease things for the citizens. Policies such as the Students Loan Scheme and Consumer Credit Scheme that are just taking off.” Wrong Time For Fuel Price Hike, Says Afenifere

It should be recalled that on Tuesday, 3^rd September, 2024 the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Plc increased the litre of petrol from N617 to N897.

Reacting to the sudden and inconsiderate decision by the Federal Government, Afenifere has refuted that it insensible that a body which claimed to have gained trillions of Naira as profit has suddenly become indebted of almost seven billion US dollars.

“Why not pay off the debt from the available fund before declaring it as profit?

“It is a common knowledge that the cost and availability of energy such as petrol, gas, electricity, diesel and kerosene are major factors not only in production and services but also on the quality of well-being that Nigerians can enjoy.

“Hikes in prices of these energy sources have astronomically increased the costs of services and commodities, reduced the disposal incomes of average Nigerians and heighten their health risk.

“The combination of all these are making a daily living an onerous task for the majority of the citizens.

“Considering the fact that millions of the Nigerians had been described as being ‘multi-dimensionally poor’, the recent hike in costs of fuel and electricity are uploading the number of people in that category phenomenally”, Mr. Ajayi, the group’s spokesperson said.

He urged the Federal Government to reverse the decision before it is too late by stating that failure to do may override claim made by the president, a few days ago that “the pains of all Nigerians will soon be over.”

Related Reports

Lagos Residents Lament Exorbitant Transport Fare       

In the special reports today, Lagos residents are caught lamenting the obnoxious increase in the petrol pump price.

Let’s recall that, on Tuesday, 3^rd September, 2024, the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Plc announced new uniform price for the product, from N568 to N855 from its station. Wrong Time For Fuel Price Hike, Says Afenifere

Meanwhile, this decision has been condemned and labelled ‘inhumane’ by the populace, not excluding the residents of Lagos who express their bitterness and disappointment at the development.

Some of these residents were engaged on yesterday, Wednesday, 4^th September, 2024. The first of them was a trader, by the name Beatrice Okonkwo, who expressed her distaste and described the decision ‘frustrating’ by indicating some adverse effects it may have on low-income earners.

Her words: “Today, I stepped out to get to my child’s school, and I noticed an increase in transport fare.

“From Gate to Cele Bus Stop, which used to be N200, is now N300, and from Ijesha to Yaba, which was N200 by tricycle, is now N400.

“Drivers are even saying they would further increase the fares to be able to recoup money they spent on fueling,” she said.

Then then dropped her plea to President Tinubu Federal Government to be more humane and proactive in ameliorating the hardship faced by the citizens.

Modinot, who identified her herself to be a civil servant, implored the Federal Government to look into the current hardship emanating from hike in the prices of petroleum products.

She said, “Transport fares from Ipaja to Costain through Oshodi increased from N1,000 to N1,700 on Wednesday.

Modinot expressed her deep-felt regret that the workers are expressing this hard time to survive, stressing that many of them are still waiting on the implementation and effects of the new national minimum wage.

“Government should listen to our cries,” She concluded.

Wrong Time For Fuel Price Hike, Says Afenifere

Mrs Tope Okunola also disclosed that it is costly to board commercial motorcycle as the riders have hiked the fare too. She stressed that the final end of bad decisions made by any government is ‘on the masses’ as she noted that commuters are always the only ones suffering whenever there is an increase in the prices of petroleum products.

“We are not finding it funny at all. Before, in my area, Festac Town, I paid N200 to the next junction, but today it cost N300.

“As transport fare goes up, so will foodstuffs prices in the markets. The ordinary person cannot eat again.

“Government should really address the situation fast,” she said

Wrong Time For Fuel Price Hike, Says Afenifere