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Akinwande Soji-Ojo
The Aare Ona Kakanfo of Yoruba land, Iva Gani Adams, has criticised the hike in the price of Premium Motor Spirit, popularly known as petrol.
Adams, in a statement signed and made available to newsmen by his Special Assistant on Media, Kehinde Aderemi, said the fuel price hike is making life difficult for Nigerians, noting that the situation is biting hard.
Adams, who asked the President Bola Tinubu to swiftly address the attendant consequences of the subsidy removal, said that Nigerians can no longer bear the hardship they are experiencing.
He said skyrocketing increase in fuel price has never happened in Nigeria’s history, adding that there is no country in the world like Nigeria (a major producer of oil) where the citizens are groaning in pain over an insensitive increase in the prices of fuel.
“We know how much we buy fuel before now. Nigeria is yet to survive the subsidy removal that led to the sudden increase in the price of fuel from N187 to N500 per litre before it was jerked up now to N617 per litre within two months. It is painful. No sensitive government would be happy when the citizens are suffering.
“It is imperative for me to speak up, especially, with what we are experiencing now in the country. It is unfortunate. This is not what we expect from a president that is coming from the South West region of the country.
“As a product of this democratic struggle, a political activist and the father of the nation, President Bola Tinubu must know that the citizens are his children. Therefore, a father must work on the best way to solve the problem of the children.
“With the present situation in the country, three state governors have declared a three-day-week for civil servants in their respective states. The national leadership of the College of Education Academic Staff Union had directed its members nationwide to attend their respective workplaces only two days a week.
“The new directive was premised on the recent price hike on fuel, and this has worsened the cost of transportation, food, and other essential commodities that has increased by over 300 per cent,” he said.
Adams noted that all over the world, many things are being subsidised in the interest of the people, stressing that power, health, food, and other necessities of life are being subsidised.
“Petrol is the main commodity that moves the economy. And now the same product is being sold for N617 per litre. It is unbearable. For instance, an ordinary Nigerian worker travelling from Mainland to Island on a weekly basis would spend 25 litres of fuel per day-that is over N15,000.
“In a week, it is N75,000, and in a month, it amounts to over N300,000. That is too bad for Nigeria and Nigerians. Energy, including petrol, diesel, or gas needed to be subsidised because of productivity’s sake. No economy survives the high cost of energy.
“It is the responsibility of every government to subsidise food-that is what is called food security. When the government subsidises energy that is energy security.
“All over the world, governments are subsidising energy to boost productivity. It is sad that presently people are losing their jobs, more businesses are collapsing, companies are folding up and tension is heightened in the country.
“Hyperinflation is setting in and it shows nothing but the insensitivity of the new administration.
“Nigeria runs an informal economy and PMS is the most important energy source in Nigeria. Therefore, President Tinubu has to retrace his step in order to save the country from this hardship,”Adams added.
