The Centre For Righteous Living (CRIL), a faith-based non-governmental organisation (NGO) in Nigeria, has called on the Federal Government to come out clean and clearly explain the situation of the petroleum sector and its pricing to Nigerians.
This was the consensus at the end of the group’s October meeting held recently in Lagos.
The group, led by Rev. Solomon Adegbolagun, maintained that it is the duty of religious leaders to advise the nation’s leaders or cry out when things are going bad, even as they continue to pray for the success of the government.
The group told the Federal Government and those concerned with the petroleum sector to closely look into the current pricing of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), popularly known as petrol, and explain to Nigerians the current state of the economy, production of petroleum and appropriate pricing.
This advice was offered in the face of the increase in fuel prices despite the production and sale of the products by the first indigenously owned private company, Dangote Refineries Limited few weeks ago.
Nigerians in the last one year have experienced untold hardship following uncontrolled and fluctuating prices of petroleum products.
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu at inauguration told Nigerians of the removal of the long time controversial subsidies on petroleum prices.
The prices have risen steadily from N198 per litre under the former President Muhammadu Buhari in 2023 to the current N1,030, per litre, with staggering prices across various parts of the country.
The group led by Rev. Solomon Adegbolagun called on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to take time out to explain to Nigerians the state of the pricing of petroleum products across various parts of Nigeria.
They reasoned that the uncontrolled prices have thrown many residents in Nigeria into serious inflation over essential commodities covering the needs of the people.
The group believed the prices with no control will affect private and corporate planning which would further make Nigerians poorer.
They called on the government to appreciate the various sacrifices already being made by Nigerians and it should not add to it.
“Nigerians were all happy to learn and welcome Dangote Refineries in the production of petroleum products which has been elusive to the government and corporate organizations in Nigeria for more than thirty years.
“To discover that the coming of Dangote Refineries would not alleviate their situation about this time would be most disappointing,” they explained.
They therefore called on Nigerians to device ways of surviving this season of hardship believing it would fizzle out in a matter of time.
“While we wait for the government to do the needful by ensuring that local production of petroleum products is encouraged, the government should further help in the provision of palliatives and infrastructural facilities for the use of Nigerians,” they advised.
The body added: “The government can provide more transportation, health needs and educational reliefs for Nigerians to cushion the effects of the current hardships caused by high prices of petroleum products and its accompanying inflation.”
They also urged Nigerians to also take good advantage of other measures provided by the government to provide food through agricultural revolution through the state and local governments.
SOURCE: Independent
