—Buhari Yet To Approve Increase In pump Price Of Petrol, Says Sylva, Minister Of State

Reports that the Federal Government of Nigeria has secretly increased the pump price of Premium Motor Spirit (Petrol) to N185 per litre is the cause of growing agitation in the country.

This is even as the Federal Government of Nigeria, through the Minister of State, Petroleum, Timipre Sylva, denied haven formally approved increment of the pump price of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS).

Sylva, in a statement on Friday, said President Muhammadu Buhari “has not approved any increase in the price of PMS  or any other petroleum product for that matter. There is no reason for the President to renege on his earlier promise not to approve any increase in the price of PMS at this time,’ he said.

However, the organised labour has already called on Nigerians to reject any increment of the price of petrol from N170 per litre to N185 per litre allegedly introduced by the Federal Government in secret.

NewsOrient’s checks show that even before the reported official secret hike, many Petrol Stations had been selling fuel above N185 per litre, especially since the commencement of the current fuel scarcity.

But we gathered that petrol consumers and other stakeholders have reacted angrily since the recent report of the alleged government’s official secret hike became public knowledge.

For example, reacting to the announcement of the petrol hike, Vanguard reported earlier that ‘the organised labour expressed shock over the increase, describing it as the “last kick of a dying regime.”

The paper quoted an unnamed top labour official as calling “on Nigerians to not only resist the hike but to express their frustration at the forthcoming polls.

“He said, “It is shocking that this government has decided to add to the suffering of Nigerians in the midst of unbearable hardship occasioned by anti-people’s policies of the government.

“This increase is totally rejected and unacceptable to organised labour and the entire suffering Nigerian masses.  We see this increase as the last kick of a dying regime and Nigerians are not ready to die with the regime.  We cannot continue on this lane. The government cannot continue to use its failures to punish Nigerians.”

At filling stations and on the roads in Lagos and Ogun states, other Nigerians are making no efforts to hide their frustrations and rejection of the development.

“I am tired of all these. Why are being made to pay more when we do not have jobs, earnings? Why are being so punished? Transport fare keep increasing everyday here and the commercial drivers are now too angry to explain anything to commutters, Ms Onome Johnson told NewsOrient.