•NLC NEC meets, mobilises for mass action
By Bimbola Oyesola and Jeff Amechi Ogbodo, Onitsha
Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Ibe Kachikwu, said, yesterday, that liberalising the oil sector will force the pump price of fuel, which currently trades at N145, to drop in six months.
Kachikwu said this when he appeared as a guest on Sunrise Daily, a breakfast programme on Channels Television.
“We mean well and Nigerians should please trust us. Give us a chance and you will be surprised what will become of your PMS price over the next six to eight months.
“As it gets better, it will get to a point where the market will stabilise in terms of supply and we will begin to pull back a bit in terms of determinants for pricing.”
The minister also said the authorities had done all they could to end the ongoing scarcity, and just could not provide foreign exchange for the importation of fuel.
“You don’t give what you don’t have. We want Nigerians to understand that we feel the pain, and we have tried to avoid it since I came in October 2015.
“We first went to the issue of the subsidies that we inherited which, by the way, were based on 50 to 55 million litres consumption and we said the number looked bloated. So, we did an experiment and came to a conclusion that this country doesn’t consume more than 45 million litres a day.
“Then, we came to a second point and said we are not even going to have subsidy again. We are going to exit it because there was just too much fraud involved in it.
“We have struggled; queues continue to go and come back. And, it will continue to happen unless we address the issues.
“If you free up Nigerians to find sources of funds, they will find those secondary funds. They will import the product; the burden on the NNPC will reduce and the country will have peace and subsidy will go away permanently,” he said.
Meanwhile, the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has convened an emergency meeting of its highest organ, the National Executive Committee (NEC) for Abuja today.
This was even as the NLC alerted its affiliates, state councils and civil society allies to commence mobilisation for a major strike.
The NLC insisted that the unilateral increase in prices of petroleum products by the government represents the height of insensitivity and impunity and shall be resisted.
NLC President, Ayuba Wabba said the congress has summoned NEC for a meeting “to ratify the next line of action,” which may not rule out a repeat of the showdown experienced in January 2012 in rejection of the last pump price by the last administration.
“With the imposition on the citizenry of criminal and unjustifiable electricity tariff and resultant darkness and other economic challenges brought on by the devaluation of the Naira and spiraling inflation, the least one had expected at this point in time was another policy measure that would further make life more miserable for the ordinary Nigerian”, the Congress said. A rights group, Campaign for Democracy (CD) has given the Federal Government 72 hours to revert to the old pump price of N86.50 per liter or they will mobilise Nigerians for protest against the new fuel price.
In a statement signed by CD National Publicity Secretary, Dede Uzo A. Uzo and made available to Daily Sun the group said, “Nigerians are suffering and undergoing hardship.
This is not the change we voted for, things must changed for better and not for worst. CD gives federal government 72 hours to revert to the original pump price.
Balarabe Musa, Shehu Sani, Falana, others reject fuel price hike
From Noah Ebije, Sola Ojo, Kaduna and Ola Kehinde-Balogun
Second Republic governor of old Kaduna State and National Chairman of Peoples Redemption Party (PRP), Alhaji Balarabe Musa, alleged yesterday, that the fuel increase was done to cover up some socio-economic atrocities as well as to raise enough money ahead of the 2019 general elections by the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
The former governor urged leadership of Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) and other Nigerians to join forces, march to the streets and protest the oil price increase across the country, to ensure that government decision is reversed.
Regardless, Senator Shehu Sani described the decision to increase the pump price of petroleum products as insensitive and punitive.
Sani, who chairs the committee on Foreign and Domestic Debts, added that the process that led to the increment was faulty as it failed to put the electorate into consideration, especially, in the face of current economy hardship. “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.
“Its 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.”
Rights activist and lawyer, Mr. Femi Falana (SAN), has kicked against increment in price of petrol. He said the federal government’s move is “illegal, contemptuous and insensitive” to the Nigerians’ plight. Falana, who made his position known in a statement made available to Daily Sun yesterday, alleged that the Buhari-led federal government has continued to renege on many of its erstwhile positions. Falana argued: “During the campaign last year, Buhari pledged that if elected as president by the Nigerian people his administration would not remove fuel subsidy. On January 18, 2016 the federal government allayed the fear of Nigerians when the price of petrol was reduced to N86.50k per litre.
Since the Petroleum Products Pricing Regulatory Agency (PPPRA) which is statutorily empowered to recommend the price of petroleum products has not been reconstituted, Falana said: “In view of the illegality, insensitivity and immorality of the price increase the federal government should cancel it, revert to the status quo and consult widely with all relevant stakeholders in the society.” He said there is no justification for the monopolistic control of goods and services under a free market economy.
Drivers protest hike in Ondo as Ogun, Asaba residents kick against N145/litre
From Bamigbola Gbolagunte, Akure, Segun Olatunji, Abeokuta and Paul Osuyi, Asaba
Commercial drivers in Akure, the Ondo State capital, yesterday, trooped out in their numbers to protest the sudden hike in the price of petrol.
A similar situation also took place in other major towns and cities in the state including Ore, Ondo, Owo and Ikare-Akoko as many drivers came out in protest against the government action. On many roads in Akure, commercial drivers prevented vehicular movements for several hours, even as they failed to operate, a situation which cause serious hardship for commuters in the city. The drivers converged on Ilesa garage as early as 7.00am and mobilised other road users, especially commercial motorcyclists, to join them in the protest which lasted for hours.
The drivers, who were mostly members of the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) described the increment as “anti people.” Many civil servants, students and travelers had a hectic time as the protest grounded many activities in many parts of the state, even as many were stranded as a result of the protest. The protesters moved from Ilesa garage to Oyemekun Road, stopped private cars from moving on the road, just as they compelled motorists to join the protest.
Meanwhile, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Ogun State, yesterday, condemned the increase in the pump price of petrol from N86.50 to N145, in a statement by its state Publicity Secretary, Malik Ibitoye.
Almost immediately news went round that petrol would now sell for N145.00, filling stations in Asaba , Delta State and its environs adjusted the meters to reflect the new pump price. Before the announcement, filling stations having the product dispensed to the public with the price range of N100.00 and N125.00.
However, managers of filling station quickly adjusted their meters to read the new price despite having old stock. Some residents of Asaba have condemned the recent increase, saying that the new price regime would negatively impact on the public.