By Uche Onyeali
Public facilities across the country may experience massive shut down from September 15, 2024, following another increase in the prices of petroleum products by the federal government.
This warning was issued by the National Association of Nigerian Students, NANS, which yesterday ordered students all over the country shut down of all major cities in Nigeria the said date.
The Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited, NNPCL, through the the director-general, Mele Kyari, on Tuesday announced increase in fuel price to N855 per litre.
Reacting to the announcement, the organised labour and other stakeholders on berated the federal government, calling for immediate reversal of the new price regime for Premium Motor Spirit, PMS.
Bewailling the new development, the Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, called President Bola Tinubu a betrayer following the astronomical hike in fuel price after the approval of meagre N70,000 as national minimum wage for workers.
The NLC in a statement yesterday signed by its president, Joe Ajaero, said expressed shock that the president was bound to make life more unbearable for the citizens.
“We are filled with a deep sense of betrayal as the Federal Government clandestinely increases the pump price of PMS. One of the reasons for accepting N70,000 as national minimum wage was the understanding that the pump price of PMS would not be increased even as we knew that N70,000 was not sufficient,”Ajaero said.
Aside the reversal of the new fuel pump price, the congress also demanded the release of incarcerated #EndBadGovernance protesters and reversal of the 250 percent hike in electricity tariff.
“In the coming days, the appropriate organs of the Congress will be meeting to take appropriate decisions which will be made public,” the labour leader assured.
For its part, the students union demanded an immediate reversal of the fuel price hike.
The students disclosed plan to occupy all major cities on September 15, 2024, and assured that the protest would be peaceful and lawful if NNPC authorities refuse to fulfil the demands of protesters.
The protest notice was sent to various security agencies, including the Nigerian Civil Security and Civil Corps, NSCDC, the Chief of Defence Staff, Nigerian Armed Forces, and all state governors.
A circular for the shutdown notice read: “We write to notify you of an impending massive shutdown of all major cities in Nigeria, effective 15th September 2024, in protest of the recent hike in fuel prices.
“The incessant increase in fuel prices has brought untold hardship to the masses, and we can no longer stand idly by while our future is mortgaged by the actions of a few. We demand an immediate reversal of the fuel price hike.
“We call on all Nigerian students across the country to wake up to this clarion call, as we will be occupying all major cities on the 15th of September, 2024. We shall not be silenced, and we shall not be intimidated. We shall rise in unison to demand a better deal for Nigerian students and the masses.
“We urge you to take necessary measures to maintain law and order during the shutdown, as we assure you that our protest will be peaceful and lawful.”
