Former Vice President of the Nigeria Labour Congress NLC ,Isa Aremu has warned that the increase in pump price of petrol at a time many nigerians were going through economic hardship could trigger another round of civil unrest that would be disastrous for the country.
Aremu told newsmen on Saturday aside a three day prayer in honour of the late former governor of Kaduna State Balarabe Musa described the new template of price increase at a time the country was coming out of a disturbing protest and economic hardship was the height of insensitivity on the part of government
He called for the fixing of the nation’s refineries rather than introducing new pump price for petrol and stressed the need for the organised labour and the National Assembly to engage the executive arm of government on price variation and regulation in the petroleum sector to prevent further exposure of nigerians to untold economic hardship.
The opposition Peoples Democratic Party ( PDP) had also described the increase in the pump price of petrol to N170 per litre as wicked, unbearable and unacceptable given the current economic difficulties foisted on citizens by the present administration.
The party stated that the ruling All Progressives Congress APC has no justification whatsoever to increase the price of fuel above N100 adding” that the continuous increase in the pump price of fuel under opaque and nebulous indices is a product of incompetence and large scale corruption being perpetrated by a few individuals who are bent on fleecing Nigerians and holding our nation to ransom'”.
Meanwhile, the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) has said that the increase in the ex-coastal price and ex- depot price of petrol is due to fluctuations in demand and supply.
A statement by NNPC spokesman,Kennie Obateru said the correct prices as seen on the Pipeline Marketing Company’s online portal for procurement of petroleum products are N128 for Ex-Coastal price and N153.17 for Ex-Depot Price and advised petrol marketers to make their purchases through the online PPMC platform at the recommended prices.
