The Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), has declared that the sudden decision to increase the pump price of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), commonly known as petrol was an outright over kill.
The NUJ also said that it was alarmed at the announced increase in the pump price of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) from N539 to N617 and N568 per litre by the Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation Limited (NNPCL), in Abuja and Lagos respectively.
It therefore canvassed that the situation should be reversed immediately while adequate measures are considered and put in place to lessen the effects on ordinary Nigerians.
These were contained in a statement on Tuesday, July 18, 2023, by Mr. Shuaibu Usman Leman, National Secretary of the NUJ, in which he noted that the development has already triggered astronomical increases in transportation costs, with prices of food items soaring almost beyond the reach of many citizens.
The NUJ also said that even users of generators to power their homes are already groaning uncontrollably under the present situation.
The Union said that while it applauded the decision to remove the costly subsidies on fuel, it however cautioned against a hasty implementation of the policy without putting mitigating measures in place to cushion the excruciating effects.
The NUJ further said; “We are saddened by the fact that today most people can hardly commute to work or other places of business without too much stress because the embarrassing sudden surge in petrol prices has made it so.
“We believe that this sudden decision is an over kill and we urge that the situation should be reversed immediately while adequate measures are considered and put in place to lessen the effects on ordinary Nigerians,” it said.
