Govt urges Nigerians to be patient
It is definitely not the best of time for Nigerian consumers as prices of commodities are indiscriminately hiked.
Already, Nigerians are feeling choked, lamenting tough times ahead, while they beat the drums of trouble.
The indiscriminate increase ranges from fuel price, to electricity tariff, DSTV, Gotv and some others commodities, which defined the daily livelihood of an average Nigerian.
As the consumers took to social media to protest the high prices, some others are making physical efforts towards the same goal.
On Thursday, a man was seen opposite the University of Ibadan staging a one-man protest against the increased petrol price and Electricity tariff.
The man, whose identity was not known as at press time, was seen carrying a placard that read: “I can’t take this anymore, increased petrol price and Electricity tariff”
Recall that the Petroleum Products Marketing Company, a subsidiary of the NNPC, had increased the ex-depot price of the PMS to N151.56 per litre, with marketers saying the product would be sold at between N162 and N165 per litre. The electricity tariff was also increased from about N22 to N66 per kwh, depending on the consumer class.
The Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) has threatened to embark on an indefinite strike, if the Federal Government does not intervene.
NLC President, Ayuba Wabba, said that the organised labour would mobilise Nigerian workers to resist the increase in electricity tariff .
He said that the NLC condemned the alleged “deaf and dumb” posture of the state electricity regulators.
“We wish to state that the NLC seriously frowns at; completely condemns; and totally rejects any plan to inflict further pain on Nigerians at this very time of great economic distress,” he said.
The Trade Union Congress (TUC), President, Quadri Olaleye, said that increasing petroleum prices and electricity bills at a time people were losing jobs, when businesses were adversely affected by COVID-19, was a wicked step.
“They have developed a thick skin that our pleas and cries no longer mean anything to them. No government has raped this country like the present one; ironically it has enjoyed our understanding the most. They beat us and when we cry, they send security operatives after us or force us to pay a fine of N5m for ‘’hate speech’’. Our patience has run out,” he said.
Also, some students have protested the hike in prices of commodities.
The Students’ Union Government of Tai Solarin University of Education, Ijagun, Ijebu-Ode, Ogun State, condemned the increase, urging government to wade in to save the looming trouble.
TASUED Students Union President, Abdul-Azeez Lekan Soneye, said the government had declared war on Nigerian students and it was time for them to fight back or lose it all.
He said, “War is coming. And it will consume everyone of us here if care is not taken. Electricity fee has been hiked by 300%. Petrol is now #160. I mean 160 in some places and not 150 as reported.
“It means landlords would increase house rent to meet up with electricity bills. We shouldn’t forget we were still envisaging problem that will arise as students won’t find it easy to pay for house they didn’t occupy for several months after a pandemic that has affected their sponsors’ income,” he said.
Meanwhile, the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Timipre Sylva, said government would no longer fix the price of petroleum products, especially petrol.
He noted that market forces would continue to determine the price, adding that continuous payment of subsidy was no longer sustainable in the face of current economic realities.
Sylva said: “Government stood back from the business of fuel importation. Government would only protect the consumer so that no one profiteers on consumers. We are no longer fixing prices, we have stepped back and allow market forces to determine prices,”
He enjoined Nigerians to be patient and allow the deregulation policy to mature, stressing that the present situation would ease.
