Group Urges Nigerian Government to Reduce Fuel Prices and Establish Commodities Board Amid Hardship

A group calls on the Nigerian government to address economic hardships by lowering fuel prices and setting up a commodities board to manage essential goods.

The Muslim Media Watch Group of Nigeria (MMWG), a non-governmental organization, has urged the Federal Government to implement an effective economic strategy that will alleviate the present financial challenges confronting Nigerians. To achieve this goal, MMWG recommends an immediate reduction in fuel prices as they believe it is one of the factors contributing to people’s difficulties.

The group recommended that the National Assembly, NASS, use its authority to establish the National Commodities Board and enact strict regulations to monitor certain trades for any malevolent activity that could cause difficulty for citizens.

Ibrahim Abdullahi, National Coordinator of MMWG, along with Nasir Balogun, National Secretary, issued a joint statement expressing appreciation to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for instructing the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) to provide consistent crude oil supply to Dangote Refinery. The payment for the purchased crude will be made in Naira instead of dollars.

According to the group, if Nigeria refines its crude oil on a large scale domestically, it would lead to a significant reduction in fuel costs and alleviate people’s suffering. This is because prices of daily needs like commodities, food products and services will decrease once again.

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It urged individuals with financial capacity in the Nigerian oil industry to establish additional refineries, thereby preventing any potential monopolies.

The group is urging the Inspector General of Police, IGP Kayode Egbetokun to swiftly locate Dr. Ganiyat Popoola who was kidnapped in Kaduna more than eight months ago and has yet to be released by her abductors.

As per the group, a woman who is a doctor had been abducted along with her spouse and nephew since December of last year. They revealed that even after extorting several million Naira as ransom money, only the husband was set free while his wife and their relative continued to be held captive.

The silence of Police authorities in Kaduna State and Force Headquarters, Abuja on this matter is cause for concern.

According to the statement, due to the security agencies’ lack of response on this issue, a few days ago, members of the Association of Resident Doctors (ARD) carried out placard-carrying protests in various hospitals across the country. This has now resulted in a strike action by ARD members since Monday.

The IGP was urged by MMWG to utilize the tactics employed in securing the liberation of 20 medical students who were on a trip to the South East for obtaining Dr Popoola’s release promptly in Kaduna.

The Kaduna State Government was urged to take immediate action and rescue both the abductee and her nephew without any more delays. It was emphasized that technology can facilitate tracking down of the kidnappers’ whereabouts alongside their captives.