What is your take on Governors’ proposed N385/litre petrol pump price?

 

It is outrageous to bring such proposal amidst the current reality of socio economic hardship in the country. Sadly, this proposal is only hinged on massive profit for the ruling class while the masses rots in the den of crisis and suffering. The proposal should not be implemented.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I must say this is a wrong timing and should not be proposed at all. At this time when children and our youths are dying on the streets as a result of hunger, businesses are closing down, foreign direct investments have come to a screeching halt and high rate of unemployment in the country, rather than the state governors to complement the efforts of the Federal Government by diversifying the economy, creating employment and improving their internally generated revenue through other sources other than oil and gas, they are attempting to introduce policies that will further impoverish Nigerians. The problem is that most of our governors are self-centered, lazy, and visionless. They only rely on the federal allocation and do not have any economic plan to drive the economy of their respective states. Some of these governors cannot pay minimum wage to Nigerian workers yet they want to double the current pump price of petrol. I urge the federal government of Nigeria and NNPC to disregard this proposal by the Nigerian Governors Forum (NGF) as its acceptance will further heat up the country. The government should rather make the refineries in Nigeria to work perfectly and also give an opportunity for private investors to invest more in modular refineries in order to boost local production, supply, create employment and increase the revenue of the country. At this present time that Nigeria is facing challenges of insecurity, we need leaders of vision and creativity who will drive the nation beyond all obstacles for a better Nigeria.

 

I don’t think the governors have such rights to implement the increase of fuel pump price and this is a dangerous attempt seeing that Nigeria is going through economic hardship at the moment. It’s a suicidal attempt for such an idea to take its course. Nigerians should not allow this happen.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This is another systematic abuse on Nigerians by the elites represented by the governors. It appears they want to squeeze life out of the common man. The situation in the country is already bad. If they enforce this new price, I believe the people will revolt and that is not what Nigeria needs now.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

It is a very bad idea looking at the situation of the country. Times are hard for the masses and nobody cares or wants to proffer solution to the problems in the country only to bring proposal that will bring more agony. I fear the resultant effect of this would be terrible and if care is not taken, another protest worse than the other would happen in Nigeria.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Why is the present price not left the way it is? Why are they proposing increment in price? Why put burden on the already overweight masses that are obviously suffering and smiling? Instead of bringing up proposal that will alleviate their suffering, they are making it worse. We didn’t bargain for this at all.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The governors’ proposed price was motivated by the urgent need to increase public revenues. Nigeria’s challenge is not in getting more revenues but blocking the historical leakages. What is the point in getting more revenue when it will end up in the pockets of politicians? The corruption avenues must be blocked and this will make the governance more transparent.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The price suggested by the governors is unrealistic. I do not think it is right for the governors to be dictating a particular price, what they should do is to give support to the NNPC to achieve a deregulated sector. If the price is increased, it will not amount to deregulation but price fixing to end subsidy, suggesting further that the governors may be doing that because of the effects of subsidy on government revenue. What the government is currently paying as subsidy is not sustainable in the long term. This fact is staring the governors in the face, that is why they are now talking about the price of petroleum products. But they should have come out much earlier to give support to the federal government in removing subsidies.

 

 

 

 

I don’t see any sense in the governors’ plan because this development will lead to inflation. The governors have no business in fixing the pump price of the product. I think there is need for more information and the government needs to be fully transparent in this matter. The present opaque situation should not be replaced by another type of opacity. What will be the composition of the new price?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Governors’ Forum can only support deregulation and removal of subsidy, they should not be suggesting any price to be paid by consumers. Deregulation goes beyond the removal of government subsidies and requires the creation of a competitive market environment, which will guarantee the supply of products at commercially efficient prices to customers. Also, deregulation should not be about fixing product prices but ensuring transparency of the components of the prices that consumers pay at the pump. Pump prices should be dictated by market forces but with the protection of consumers by the necessary agencies of government. The prices should be allowed to move based on the dynamics across the value chain.

 

 

 

 

Increasing the pump price to as high as N385 as proposed by the governors would impose on Nigerians dehumanising economic conditions. It is not the best policy and not in the interest of ordinary Nigerians who are already impoverished by government. This will lead to increase in the prices of goods and services and this will bring an unbearable hardship to all Nigerians, and further push the nation to a total collapse.

 

 

 

 

 

It is unfortunate that the Nigerian governors are making this call at this moment when Nigerians are yet to recover from the ravaging effect of COVID-19. It is sad that last year, economic activities all over the country were shut down and many businesses closed down as a result of the lock-down order of the national and state governments to curb the widespread of coronavirus pandemic, leading to lot of losses among which included the disengagement of workers by corporate organisations and businesses. Many are yet to recover from the losses, while some of the disengaged workers are yet to find employment replacement to earn a living. The rising challenging security situation in the country has further aggravated the pains of Nigerians as most businesses who thrive in the night such as transport companies, hotels, bars, night clubs and other recreational centres are shut down as a result of the curfew order imposed by state governors in their respective states to curb the security challenges and the gruesome killings of our security officers by armed bandits. So, tell me how would citizens want to earn a living?

 

 

 

 

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