Group to protest fuel price hike in Abuja on Monday

Nigerians Against Bad Policies, a platform formed by concerned Nigerians against the spate of anti-poor policies of the Buhari/Osinbanjo government says it would protest the hike in fuel price on Monday.

The group in a statement signed by Kachi Gerald and Adejobi Peter which was made available to theportcitynews on Friday rejected the recent hike in price of petrol and electricity tariff. It also expressed its decision to protest against such anti-poor policies until they are reversed.

“We consider this a further attempt by this draconian government to oppress us, impoverish us and make sure that Nigerians are incapacitated and rendered unproductive. This unjust increment is happening at a critical time when Nigerians are still mourning over the resultant effect of the Covid-19 lockdown which has crippled the sources of livelihood of many Nigerians.

“We strongly believe that a serious government ought to be making attempt to implement policies that can ease the economic situation of the people and not make outrageous policies that are capable of aggravating the already worse economic situation.

“We demand an immediate reversal of the hiked electricity tariff and the increased price of petrol. The corrupt contraption of privatization of the power sector and oil sector, together with corrupt management of institutions, is responsible for the ruinous state that both the power sector and oil sector are. We call for nationalization of the power sector and its democratic control by the working people.

“For us, this is the only effective way to put an end to the decrepit condition that the power sector is in. today, many Nigerians continue to pay an exorbitant amount for electricity without enjoying a regular supply of electricity.

“Similarly, Nigerians have not been able to enjoy the oil that ought to belong to them. Just a few individuals, organized as multi-national companies, private investors, markets etc continue to milk the revenue of the oil sector. This is unacceptable! Nigerians Against Bad Policies strongly oppose every attempt to sustain this parasitic feeding on the poor by the few rich.

“We call on the leadership of the labour movement to wake from their unjustifiable docility and lead the working masses against these attacks. The docility of the leadership of Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and Trade Union Congress (TUC) at this critical time is a betrayal of the working people of Nigeria. We equally call on Nigerians to rise and resist these unjust anti-poor policies.

“We the oppressed under the umbrella of NIGERIANS AGAINST BAD POLICIES unequivocally refuse to accept the increase in petroleum pump price and electricity tariff.

“Against this backdrop, we shall be embarking on a protest in Abuja on Monday 7th September 2020 to demand;
 Immediate reversal in the increase in electricity tariff
 Reversal in the increase of petrol price to N87
 Democratization and nationalization of the power sector
 NLC/TUC must call general strike and mass protest to reject these anti people policies.
 Nationalise the power sector and place it under democratic control.
 End jumbo pay to political office holders.
 Build more refineries to end fuel price increase.
 No to austerity”, it said