A chieftain of the New Nigeria People’s Party, (NNPP), Ambassador Olufemi Ajadi Oguntoyinbo has expressed concern over the recent report of the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Product Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA), which stated that daily petrol consumption has crashed by 92 per cent.
Thus, calling on President Bola Tinubu to intervene by reverting the current prices of Petroleum products to old prices, saying the current prices have made many Nigerians to abandon their vehicles.
Ajadi made the plea on Thursday while reacting to the report that daily petrol consumption has crashes by 92 percent under President Tinubu as a result of hike in price.
It could recalled that a report revealed that daily consumption of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) or petrol in Nigeria has dropped drastically under one year after President Bola Tinubu assumed office on May 29, 2023.
Data obtained from the latest report of the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Product Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) Daily Truck Out Report for September 2024, showed that consumption as of August 20, 2024, was 4.5 million litres per day as against daily petrol consumption as of May 2023
An estimation brings daily consumption down by 92 per cent after May 29, 2023.
Ajadi called the attention of the Federal Government to the current situation and urged the government not to turn Nigerians to ridicule as they could no longer buy petrol into their vehicles again despite the fact that Nigeria has abundance of crude oil.
He, however appealed to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu-led government to call NNPC to order and immediately reverts to the old price in order not to aggravate the suffering of the masses.
The NNPC Ltd has increased petrol price to N1,025 per litre at various outlets across the country from its old price of N865 recently.
Ambassador Ajadi in the statement said the recent action of the NNPC is very insensitive to Nigerians’ plights, noting that the increment of the price by the NNPC had further aggravated the suffering Nigerians are currently undergoing.
Ambassador Ajadi, who was the governorship candidate of the NNPP in Ogun state in the 2023 elections believe the action of the NNPC has been suffocating Nigerians.
“To their utter surprise, Nigerians received the shock of their lives recently when they discovered the adjustment of prices of petroleum products at the various NNPC Ltd. depots across the country.
“The situation now has turned Nigerians more impoverished and I urged the Federal government especially our President, who is also the Minster of petroleum, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu to help instruct the NNPC to revert to the old price.
“As an economist, President Tinubu should realize and be conversant of the multiplier effects of continuous increase in the price of petrol. Nigerians are already suffering and their sufferings at this time has not augured well for the country.
“Even before today, people have resulted into trekking long distances because of the high transport fares. Prices of foodstuffs have gone up beyond the reach of an average Nigerian. The new action by the NNPC will add more to the People’s suffering.
“I called on the elder statesmen to look at the plight of Nigerians as they cannot afford the current prices of petroleum products. The National Assembly should also work with the Presidency in finding lasting solution to this insensitive action of the NNPC”.
SOURCE: Independent