By SOLA OJO, Kaduna

Coalition under Nigeria Citizens Action Group (NCAG) on Monday called for the reversal of price hike of premium motor spirit popularly known as petrol recently announced by the Federal Government.

The group also called on the Minister of State for Petroleum, Timipre Silva, Group Managing Director of Nigerian National Petroleum Cooperation (NNPC), Mele Kolo Kyari and Executive Secretary of Petroleum Products Pricing Regulatory Agency (PPPRA, AbdulKadir Saidu Umar to resign their appointments within over the development.

The group, which addressed a press conference at Arewa House Kaduna said, actions of the major stakeholders like Silva, Kyari and Umar led the President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration to hike the price of oil, amid COVID-19 economy crisis.

Chairman, Nigeria Citizens Action Group and National President, Northern Youth Council who led the conference, Isah Abubakar, however, threatened to mobilise and occupy the NNPC headquarters in Abuja if the pump price is not reversed within as soon as possible.

Abubakar was supported at the press conference by the NCAG Secretary and Speaker Arewa Youth Assembly, Mohammed Saliu Danlamin and its Spokesman, Salahudeen Lukman.

Isah said, “On May 1, 2016 Federal Government through NNPC announcethe d removal of fuel subsidy which necessitates hike in PMS from N97 to N145, an increase of 66.67%, a similar policy former administration of Goodluck Jonathan/PDP tried that Nigerian out rightly rejected with massive protest Nationwide.

“Out of goodwill, unblemished trust and unprecedented love Nigerians have for President Muhammadu Buhari and his administration aa s man of integrity, the policy reintroduction was never questioned rather citizens endured despite its resultant effect on our day to day activities with hope for good governance in return as the new government of President Buhari needs every cooperation and support of citizens to deliver as then.

“It became a mirage, an unfortunate experience that none of the citizen’s expectation came to pass instead Nigerians’ patiencisre being taking for foolishness as National Assembly queried

Federal Government on 31st May, 2019 after a revelation that we are paying highest subsidy in the history of Nigeria under same government that hike PMS price in the name of total subsidy removal. As Nigeria spent 11trilion Naira in 6 years in subsidy.”

The group said aside from that fact, numerous revelations in the recent exposenon-remittancece of tax into federation account by NNPC, while had equally been in public domain’s violation of procurement act and scandalous contract award process by the same NNPC such as revealed by former Minister IbNwachukwuwu’ leaked memo to president Buhari on Octobr 4, 2017.

He continued, “as at the peak of global oil price collapse the at inception of Covid-19 pandemic where crude oil price fell from $67.3 (Dec 2019) to $32.31 (March 2020) per barrel, Nigeria as major crude oil producer should not h toave buy PMS more than N35 per litter but NNPC through her unintelligent, incoherent and inconsistent subsidiary called PPPRA pegged pump price at N125. 50/liter on March 19, 2020, and N123. 80 on April 1, 2020.

“It’s with total dismay citizen received with rude shock the increase in PMS pump price again on 1s July, 2020 from N123.50 to N143.80 despite no significant price appreciation of crude oil globally from $32.31(March 2020) to $48.80 (June 2020) per barrel.

“Instead of Nigerian citizen to experience further drop in PMS price or maintenance of status-quo, the PPPRA, NNPC and Ministry of Petroleum decided to hike the pump price amidst this global pandemic recovery moves.

“This we consider a deliberate attempt to erode off President Muhammadu Buhari goodwill, solidarity support, trust and love from the heart of Nigeria Citizens.

“At a time when nations are doing more to aide her citizens out ofpost-pandemicndemic era when many have lost job, salary cut, business shut another adverse effecteffect, the appointees of government decide to incite citizen against their principal/governIt’st. Its so unfortunate, highly ridiculous, callous and insensitive.

“Nigeria Citizen Action Group NCAG, a pro masses and coalition of Civil society organizations, Youth and student movement hereby demand immediate reversal of this hike and voluntary resignation of the Executive Secretary PPPRA, Abdulkadir Saidu Umar, the Group Managing Director NP C, Mele Kolo Kyari and Honorable Minister Stateate For Petroleum Resources H. E Timpre Silva on or before Monday July 13, 2020 (7 working days ultimatum).

“We enjoin Nigerians to troop out to reject this act of frustration and deliberate infliction of hardship on all Citizen by overzealous appointees of government on Tuesday July 14, 2020 when we shall be at NNPC and PPPRA headquarters Abuja to press home our demands. Dare to struggle…. Dare to win,” the group concluded. (Daily Sun)

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