Nigeria’s Petroleum Minister, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu (File Image)
NANS: We are facing hardship, and now, the government has increased fuel prices again
By Valentine Amanze
The National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) has threatened to go ahead with the planned nationwide protest unless the federal government reverses the pump price of petrol from N1,400 to N650 per litre.
NANS also disclosed that it was dialoguing with stakeholders in the petroleum industry, including businessman, Aliko Dangote, oil marketers, and the Minister of State for Petroleum (Oil), to seek a price reversal.
NANS Secretary, David Bariereka, disclosed this during an interview with Channels Television in Port Harcourt, Rivers State.
The development came after the student body had fixed fixed September 15, 2024, for the nationwide strike.
Also read: Dangote refinery will not reduce petrol price – NNPCL
The Senate President of the NANS, Henry Okuomo, while appearing as a guest on Channels Television’s Sunrise Daily last Friday, said that the union was capable of holding the government accountable as it was not happy with the Bola Tinubu hardship in the country.
He said, “We are not threatening a strike. That is what we are going to do because of the current situation of the country. Nigerians are currently facing a lot. We are facing hardship, and now, the government has increased fuel prices again.
“This has affected us as students. And as student leaders, we don’t have a choice now but to fight for the people.
“We are occupying one of the largest stakes in the country, having over 40 million Nigerian students in the country.
“With that, we think we should make our voice loud at this time to save the Nigerian people from this undue stress and suffering being put upon them by the government.
“We have determined that on the 15th of this month, no going back. We are hitting the street hard.
‘We are going to demand not only for a reduction in fuel price but for other things that are affecting the nation in general.
‘We are going to do it. We will hit the streets if the government does not reverse most of the hardship policies before then.”
The group had earliers called for the removal of the Group Chief Executive Officer (GCEO) of Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL), Mele Kyari.
Bariereka urged Nigerian students to remain calm and await clear directives from the NANS national secretariat regarding the next course of action, in response to the fuel price hike.
……………
For more interesting stories click: nigerianewsflight.com.ng
