According to him, the decision by the government was “immoral and insensitivity of the effect of fuel price increase on the people of Nigeria.”
He therefore urged the government to revert to the old pump price.
In a statement made available to Vanguard in Lagos, Falana argued that the increment was contrary to the interest and yearning of Nigerians for the further reduction of the fuel price.
He noted that the present administration acted contrary to its promises not to remove subsidy in order to inflict undue pains on Nigerians.
Beside, he said, the decision was wrong since the sole body statutorily responsible for fixing fuel price is not yet constituted, adding, the “unilateral decision of the Executive Secretary of the body to fix the pump price at N145 per litre is ultra vires and illegal in every material particular.”
He argued that since the Petroleum Products Pricing Regulatory Agency (PPPRA) empowered to recommend the price of petroleum products has not been reconstituted, such decision was wrong.
He added that: “In view of the illegality, insensitivity and immorality of the price increase the federal government should cancel it, revert to the status quo and consult widely with all relevant stakeholders in the society.”
Falana wondered why the increment when after the Directorate of Petroleum Resources (DPR) recently invited fresh bids for the setting up modular refineries, which resulted to licensing of 22 modular refineries “with combined capacities to refine 1.429 million barrels of crude oil per day. If the policy is genuinely pursued the construction of the refineries ought to be completed within the 9-12 months.
“If such refineries are established in the country the importation of fuel and the fraud associated with it will stop. In the interim, instead of importing oil from Europe and the United States the NNPC should refine crude oil for domestic consumption in neighbouring countries which have functional refineries. After all, Nigeria refines 60,000 barrels of crude oil per day in Cote d’ivoire which is not an oil producing nation.” He said.
He further argued that “If subsidy had been removed over a month ago and the country has been saving $2 billion (from fuel importation and subsidy removal) while the refineries are now working at full capacity Dr. Kachukwu should tell Nigerians the justification for the new removal of fuel subsidy announced by him yesterday.
“The cost elements that make up the N145 are provocative. If the total landing cost of a litre and other charges are fixed at N138 what is the basis of fixing the price at N145? For goodness sake, why should motorists be made to pay NPA/NIMASA charges, within and without storage/ bridging charges etc?”
He therefore submitted that the decision will have virile effect on the people and the economic.
He noted that increasing the price without any public debate or consultation with relevant stakeholders whatsoever the federal government took the Nigerian people by surprise. Click to signup for FREE news updates, latest information and hottest gists everyday
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Falana, you were part of this government initially I'm surprised at your sudden change. I don't want to say anything, but I now convinced that PMB has nothing to offer Nigerians. You can't give what you don't have. No Walhalla we go survive.
ReplyDeleteCoz he was part of the government he should restrain from saying the truth abi?
ReplyDeleteLet's face it, "WE ALL FAILED OURSELVES".
ReplyDeleteWhat Nigerians failed to realize is that any policy that is for the Common Good must be guarded by "EVERYBODY" and "NOT JUST THE GOVERNMENT AND IT'S AGENCIES ALONE".
It's been several weeks now and with all the Scarce Dollars (thank God the looting spree era of GEJ/PDP/Etc has ceased) being injected into PMS (By the way why PMS only, we must really be smoking something here in Nigeria) all to no avail.
Instead, you have the hoodlum Marketers feasting on Nigerians. NNPC brings in PMS at lower prices, Marketers collect and sells at exorbitant prices and instead of Nigerians to Organize themselves into enforcement Groups and defend the Government Policy and Help it to work for the common good, they fold their hands and just talk grammar and never put in any effort. It's common knowledge that daylight robbery is being perpetuated by Marketers and Hardship being inflicted on Nigerians yet the TLC, NLC, etc never saw it fit to start their own monitoring and help curb the illicit and irresponsible behaviours.
Even, the depots were not left out of the illicit dealings. Hoodlums were busy smiling to the Banks (Even under this Mantra of Change).
With all these, what is the most logical thing to then do? Please let us be serious and proffer realistic ways forward rather than engaging in ranting lunacies.
The Unions and Legislatures should start looking at proffering palliatives to cushion the effect of the deregulation rather than wasting unnecessary time.
Nigerians actually firmly set sail the Ship of Deregulation and the Government has no other choice than to Board That Ship.
The Deregulation Ship has left the Port. Please let's start talking of other useful things.
Where are we from, we are from an era of plundering and bleeding of our dear Nation's commonwealth dry by highly irresponsible GEJ, PDP and cohorts.
What do we need right now, the message of creativity, perseverance, understanding, cooperation, patience, sense of belonging and responsibility.
This Change shall work when we all work together.
May God complete the deliverance of Nigeria from utter backwardness in the mighty name of Jesus, Amen.
May the Lord continue to frustrate and reduce to oblivion all the known and secret enemies of Nigeria in the mighty name of Jesus Christ, Amen and Amen.
May the Lord erase all the known and secret enemies of Nigeria like human fart in the mighty name of Jesus Christ, Amen and Amen.
name of Jesus Christ, Amen and Amen.
APC copy/paste bandit oshi.
DeleteBe a team player/leader not a one man riot squad.
DeleteIt is only then that God will do his own part.
Oga u are d one who has spoken grammer of all the lot. To start with, do u fight corruption on d pages of newspaper? No responsible govt does that. Do u arrest someone b4 looking for evidences to nail the person as EFCC is doing ryt now? That is surely an illegal act. Can any reasonable person say corruption is being fought and that it is not vindictive when people who used to be in that party and from all indications sponsored d election of d GMB and all others known or suspected to be corrupt are not being arrested cos they are in APC? Surely not. Can u actually say that we are being told d truth about this corruption fight when non of d said corrupt persons av been sucessfully prosecuted and were this govt av gone aborrowing funds far lower than what they claim to av retrieved from d corrupt persons.
ReplyDeleteThis govt av proven over d last one year that they are pathetic liars, even their claims that all parties were involved in agreeing d new fuel price av turned out to be lies as TUC, NLC, PENGASSEN, NUPENG av come out to deny such except of course for d same cabal u talked about led by IPMAN who are d altimate beneficiaries. I am I total support of removal of subsidy if it is well done but this one is not only ill timed, its also ill informed, illegal as Femi Falana (a staunch supporter of GMB said), it is uncaring of d present plight of d citizens. Also it has to be recalled that dis same people refused to allow dis happen under GEJ by organising d occupy 9ja rally. What also happened to d campaign promise of GMB to reduce fuel to N45 per litre? Another deceit they used to get to power, and dis is a breach and total disregard of d social and economic contract GMB had with Nigerians. So far I am not aware he has kept any campaign promise of his rather all we get are denials that he ever made such promises. I remember they even told us that GEJ never bought any military equipment but were quick to tell us that he bought only outdated equipments when he came out to say that d equipment they were using were d ones he bought, how forgetful can they be? That is y it is not gud 2 tell lies as u may end up contradicting an earlier one. Surely dis was a case in point.
Truth is that it does not and should not take dis long to begin to c tangible changes if this people know what they are doing. Continiuing to blame their ineptitude on another just simply show they don't av anything to offer and are bereft of quality ideas. Even d monies collected as estacodes for all dis trips that has yet to yield any result can do a lot for us. We know know that GEJ left him $30 billion in d treasury as against $3.7 billion which OBJ met but never complained, remember that dis same govt had earlier claimed that they met an empty treasury but for OBJ we would not av known d truth and that's his supporter u remember?
My final take is fight d corruption war legally and do not infringe on anyone's fundamental human ryt. Fight it silently and let us know of successful prosecution.
Do not become d prosecutor and d judge at d same tym.
Prosecute every corrupt person irrespective of pparty affiliations. Start with Tinubu, Amaechi, kwankwoso etc for instance.
Do not remind us of what it was btw 1983-85 which ended in your failure as that is what I am seeing now.
Fulfil ur campaign promises and stop d deception.
Be a team player/leader not a one man riot squad.
It is only then that God will do his own part.
Thank u
Hypocritical noisemaker.
ReplyDelete