The Minority Caucus in the House of Representatives has called on the Federal Government to immediately reverse the latest hike in petrol pump prices.
In a statement on Wednesday, Kingsley Chinda, Leader of the Minority Caucus, described the increase in petrol pump prices as “ill-timed” and “grossly insensitive” to the harsh economic conditions faced by Nigerians.
On Tuesday, The Paper observed that the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Limited had increased the price of petrol across its retail outlets to N855 per litre, up from about N600. The price hike has been implemented at petrol stations nationwide, with prices ranging from N855 per litre to over N1,000.
Chinda argued that the hike would exacerbate the suffering of Nigerians, who are already grappling with unprecedented economic challenges, including rising inflation, unemployment, and a depreciating Naira.
“This government must learn lessons from the destructive effects of the national protests against bad governance, triggered by depressing and excruciating economic conditions,” he said.
“We, therefore, call on the Federal Government to urgently intervene and reverse this unwarranted increase in petrol prices.”
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The lawmaker asked the government to explore and implement more sustainable measures to stabilise the economy without placing an additional burden on the people, including prioritising the rehabilitation and upgrading of local refineries, curbing corruption in the petroleum sector, and ensuring that subsidy genuinely benefit the masses and not a few privileged individuals.
“The Minority Caucus stands with the Nigerian people in rejecting this petrol price hike and will continue to advocate for policies that prioritize the welfare and well-being of all citizens,” he said.
Chinda urged the government to listen to Nigerians and take immediate steps to alleviate their suffering, rather than aggravate it.
