By Correspondent in Lokoja
Arise for Good Governance, a pressure group, has called on President Muhammadu Buhari to as a matter of urgency revert the recent “astronomical increase” in the fuel pump price in the interest of peace and welfare of Nigerians.
The Kogi State coordinator of the group Mr Solomon Andrew Agada, made the call at a news conference in Lokoja.
He expressed dismay over the increase, saying that the development had become much more worrisome, given the current precarious situation the masses were passing through due to quantum insecurity and the effect of COVID-19 pandemic in the country.
“Despite series of challenges, the federal government, without recourse for the welfare of the people, increased the fuel pump price to N212:60k per litre, this is not acceptable.
The Reporters, however, recalls that the Federal government, through the Minister of State,for Petroleum Resources,Timipre Sylva,denied knowledge of the increase in the price of fuel and apologized to Nigerians over the development.
According to Agada, the adjustment of petrol pump price amounts to unleashing more suffering on the people, particularly the poor.
He said Nigerians rejected the increment in its entirety because the hardship caused by the adjustment of the pump price, within few days of its announcement, was beyond endurance.
On insecurity, Agada,who expressed concern that banditry, kidnapping, Book Haram and other heinous crimes had taken over the country,leaving the citizens in a perpetual fear and agony, called on government to intensify efforts in tackling the menace of security challenges in the country .
He appealed to the National Assembly and other critical stakeholders in the governance of the country to prevail on President Buhari to jettison any form of increment in petroleum products, saying that there was no justification to take such decision at this critical period.
He called on those ill-advising the president to desist in the interest of the masses, security and the future of Nigeria.
“The President has a lot of issues to attend to at the moment and increasing the pump price is not the best option right now.
“We will not relent on our oars until president Buhari reverts the pump price.” he stressed.
