By Folake Sokoya
A community leader in Ogun State, Chief Toyin Amuzu has condemned the recent hike in prices of Premium Motor Spirit, PMS and electricity tariff in the Country, describing the increment as anti-people and insensitive to the plight of the people.
Chief Amuzu who is the Okanlomo of Oke-Ijeun stated this in Abeokuta while reacting to the fresh increase in the price of PMS to N151 per litre and electricity tariff to N66 per kwh.
He noted that the increase will result in upsurge in costs of goods and services which in turn would worsen the biting hardship presently faced by Nigerians who are already impoverished and overburdened.
Chief Amuzu who stated that he had earlier called on Government at all tiers to give succour to the citizenry aftermath of the covid-19 Pandemic, again called on the Federal Government to unburden Nigerians by reversing the hikes immediately.
According to him, “it is shocking that another increase in the price of petrol is coming barely two months after it was hiked”.
” Without mincing words, the increase, no doubt would work against the fight on corruption and insecurity, as there can be no secured society where many people are so poor, finding it difficult to make ends meet”, Chief Amuzu said.
“it is also disheartening that this is coming after the covid-19 pandemic which had disrupted economic activities and taken many people out of jobs with other attendant negative effects”.
Chief Amuzu said, ” it is so disturbing that while responsible governments all over the world are giving out succour through tax relief, grants, free electricity and other benefits, the present government has chosen a low time in the lives of Nigerians to further elevate their sufferings”.
He observed that “Nigerians provide virtually everything they need, thus the least any responsible government can do is seek to lessen their burdens and not add to it”, stressing that ” if protecting the wellbeing of the citizens is part of the duties of any good government, our government is failing in this regard”.
