A Niger Delta Group, Ogoni Liberation Initiative, on Thursday condemned Nigeria Governors Forum’s (NGF) alleged plan to push the Federal Government to increase pump price of fuel from N162 to N385.
Its President, Mr Douglas Fabeke, made this condemnation at a news conference in Abuja.
Fabeke said the plan would further complicate the suffering of Nigerians if implemented.
He recalled that NGF held a virtual meeting and recommended the report of a six-man committee headed by Gov. Mallam Nasir El-Rufai of Kaduna State that the pump price of petrol should be increased from N162 to N385 per litre.
Fabeke also recalled that the referenced report and recommendations were presented to the National Economic Council headed by Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, at its meeting on May 20.
“The Ogoni Liberation Initiative described this desperate attempt by the NGF as callous, inhumane and a betrayal of public trust reposed on the governors by the electorate.
“It is also unfortunate that the Nigerian governors are making this call at this moment when Nigerians are yet to recover from the ravaging effects of COVID-19
“This will bring the unbearable hardship to all Nigerians and further push the nation to a total break, and collapse of the system,” he said.
According to him, it’s sad that last year, economic activities all over the country were shut down and many businesses closed down as a result of the lockdown order by Federal and state Governments to curb the wide spread of COVID-19 pandemic, leading to a lot of losses.
“The COVID-19 pandemic also brought about disengagement of workers by corporate organisations and businesses, and many are yet to recover from the losses, while some of the disengaged workers are yet to find employment replacement to earn a living.
“The rising challenging security situation in the country has further aggravated the pains of Nigerians as most businesses that thrive in the night such as transport companies, hotels, bars, night clubs and other recreational centres are shut down as a result of curfew order.
“At this time, when children and youths are dying on the streets as a result of hunger, businesses are closing down, foreign direct investments have come to a screeching halt and high rate of employment in the country,’’ he stressed.
Fabeke called on the state governors to complement the efforts of the Federal Government by diversifying the economy, creating employment and improving their internally generated revenue rather than catapulting the sufferings of Nigerians.
He also called on the governors, who were yet to implement the N30, 000 minimum wage to do so to alleviate the suffering of the people, rather than taking decisions that would affect the people negatively.
Fabeke called on the Federal Government, National Economic Council (NEC) and Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) to disregard the anti-people proposal by the NGF as acceptance would further heat up the country.
He also called on the government to work towards making the refineries work and give opportunities for private investors to invest more in modular refineries in order to boost local production and supply. (NAN)
