The Oodua Peoples Congress (OPC) has described the recent increase in the prices of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) and electricity tarrif as an attempt to push Nigerians to the wall,saying the Federal Government (FG) is sitting on a time bomb.
OPC in a statement by its Publicity Secretary, Yinka Oguntimehin, stated the FG had done the worst with such inhuman policy that is capable of destroying the trust of the government.
“No good citizen will be happy with the recent increase in the prices of petroleum products, electricity, as well as the DSTV tarrifs”
” It is the worst decision ever made by a government that prides itself as the government of the people. With this increase, the FG is sitting on a time bomb, with no respect to the feelings and suffering of the people”
“At the tail end of former president Goodluck Jonathan’s government, fuel was sold for N87 per litre, but
since the inception of President Muhammadu Buhari’s government in 2015, the pump price of fuel had increased on three occasions with over 100 percent”
“No government had ever done that. Therefore, the Labour Union and other civil society groups should rise to the occasion, by raising their voices against such insensitive decision, as they did during the Jonathan administration”
Oguntimehin also picked holes in the reasons given by the federal government,adding that the new move will surely lead to poverty, admitting that Nigerians are in for a very difficult moment,as the market forces will always determine the price of fuel.
“We can hardly believe the reason behind the removal of the fuel subsidy. The timing was wrong and Nigerians are suffering under this administration”
Oguntimehin, however urged the Federal Government to retrace its step and reverse the prices in the interest of the mass of the people, by cushioning the effect of this outrageous increase in the prices of commodities that have direct impact on on the lives of the people.
“The recent hike in the prices of fuel and electricity is most unfortunate and it is capable of soiling the image of the Federal Government because the FG had tampered with the prices of such very important commodities that have direct impact on the economy and the lives of the people”he said
Meanwhile, the Federal Government had on Monday, gave reasons for the sudden increase, admitting that previous governments lacked the courage to implement the controversial subsidy removal.
President had said the removal will enhance stable electricity adding that the move will enhance economy of the country
