BREAKING: Shettima summons petroleum minister Lokpobiri, Kyari and Ribadu over petrol price hike
Shettima summons petroleum minister Lokpobiri, Kyari and Ribadu over petrol price hikep
Vice President Kashim Shettima has summoned the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources (Oil), Senator Heineken Lokpobiri, and Group Managing Director of Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL), Mele Kyari.
Also summoned on Thursday at the Presidential Villa is the National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu over the recent hike in the price of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), popularly known as petrol.
The Vice President is meeting with the trio in his office at the State House, Abuja.
The newest price hikes, implemented by NNPCL Retail Management, range from N855 to N897 per litre, depending on the location, from the previous N568-N617.
Independent marketers have adjusted their prices to between N930 and N1,200 per litre of petrol.
The price hike has had a widespread impact, with some Nigerians resorting to long-distance trekking and others missing work due to the higher transportation costs.
Commuters across the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Lagos, and other states expressed frustration over the increase in petrol prices, which has worsened their living conditions.
Many resorted to walking due to the unaffordable transportation costs.
Adeolu Segun, a civil servant residing in Zuba, Abuja, said the fare from his area to Berger had risen from N1,000 to N1,500.
Mrs. Zainab Ibrahim, a mother of six living in Kubwa, said she paid N1,000 as fare as against the previous N500 for the same route.
Ismaila Danjuma, the Secretary of the Zuba branch of the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW), explained that the rise in transport fares was due to the fuel price hike.
A passenger, Murjanatu Shehu, who was travelling to Kano from Abuja, said the fare rose from N8,000 to N11,000.
Haruna Yakubu, a driver on the Abuja-Lokoja route, confirmed fare increase from N4, 500 to N6,000; and Abuja-Okene routes fare rose from N6,500-N10,000.
Similar fare spikes were reported in other states, leading many residents, particularly in Kano and Rivers, to walk instead.
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Meanwhile, the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN) had warned that the price increase could drive inflation higher, affecting household budgets and small businesses.
The pan-Yoruba socio-political organisation, Afenifere and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) also demanded a reversal of the price hike, citing the severe impact on Nigerians.
The PDP labeled the increase a “brutal assault,” blaming it for worsening poverty. In Delta State, tricycle riders protested, blocking major roads in Warri.
The Trade Union Congress (TUC) criticized the government’s decision to raise fuel and electricity prices, calling for an immediate reversal to prevent further hardship.
Meanwhile, the presidency denied claims that President Tinubu linked a minimum wage increase to fuel price stability. The Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) responded, accusing the government of neglecting the people’s welfare.
