*Why the Coalition of Organized Civil Society Organisations, including NANS suspended protest
*Obaseki’s reaction, plans to set up a committee to monitor the distribution and pricing of petroleum products
BY MIKE OSAROGIAGBON
Benin City, Nigeria – Police in Edo State have said that the protest against the protracted hike in fuel price and the scarcity of the product in Benin City on Monday was generally peaceful.
SP Chidi Nwabuzor, the state police spokesman stated this in Benin when asked whether the police made arrest of any protesters or have reports of destruction of public and private property during the protest.
“Nobody was arrested, the protest was generally peaceful aside the burning of condemned tyres.
“As we speak, no reported case of burning of petrol station, building or any other property”, SP Nwabuzor said.
Protesters, mainly youths under the umbrella of the Coalition of Organized Civil Society Organisations, including National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS), Benin Coalition had on Monday, January 30, 2023 blocked some major roads in the state capital in response to the steady astronomical increase.
Our investigation revealed that the price of premium motor spirit (PMS), otherwise called petrol has skyrocketed, with some fuel stations in the state capital selling for as high as N650 per litre.
The government approved price of the product used to be N165 per litre before recent reports accuse the government of quietly jerking it to N185 per litre.
Prior to the current situation, many filling (gas) stations in Benin City sold the product for between N220 and 290 per litre as government looked the other way.
The scarcity of the product is currently causing untold hardship for Nigerians.
The APC-led federal government has remained clueless in addressing the challenges in the downstream sector of Nigeria petroleum industry.
President Mohammadu Buhari has been in charge of Nigeria petroleum ministry since 2015 when he succeeded Mr. Goodluck Jonathan.
There has been large scale corruption, including smuggling of Nigeria petroleum products, unascertained daily national consumption, inflated figures as subsidy among other lingering problems that the government has failed to address in the sector.
Why the Coalition of Organized Civil Society Organisations suspended protest
Following a successful peaceful protest, the organizers who gave a 24-hour ultimatum to Edo State Government to address the issue of fuel scarcity suspended the exercise.
The following is full text of the statement signed by leaders of the various organizations that made up the coalition, including the President of the Talakawa Parliament, Comrade Kola Edokpayi:
This is to formally inform the General Public that the Coalition of Organized Civil Society Organisations, NANS, Benin Coalition that organized the peaceful protest today the 30th day of January 2023 has suspended the protest tentatively in line with the 24 hours ultimatum given to Edo State Government to address the menace of fuel scarcity in Edo State that is biting hard on the masses.
If Edo State Government refuses to meet the demands of the people by addressing the issues raised in the communique transmitted to him, we shall officially announce our next line of action on Wednesday, the 1st day of February 2023 after the stakeholders meeting slated for same date.
Meanwhile, we want to call on the good people of Edo State to go about their normal and lawful businesses tomorrow.
Thank you.
Signed:
Comrade Kelly Osunbor, Faculty of Peace Organisation.
Comrade Ultimate Equal, One Love Foundation.
Mr. Amas Edobor, Coordinator, Coalition Benin Socio Cultural Organisations.
Comrade Kola Edokpayi, President, Talakawa Parliament
Comrade Imade Imafidon, NANS
Comrade Pius, NANS
Comrade Obinna, Coordinator, Uniben Students.
Obaseki’s Reaction
Following protests across the State on the scarcity and hike in the price of petroleum products, the Edo State Governor, Mr. Godwin Obaseki, has disclosed plans to set up a committee to monitor the distribution and pricing of the product in order to ensure that shylock marketers do not take advantage of the situation to rip Edo citizens off.
In a statement, Special Adviser to the Edo State Governor on Media Projects, Crusoe Osagie said the governor will, in the next 24 hours, also schedule a meeting with all stakeholders in the product distribution value chain to deliberate on the issues responsible for the distribution hurdles and price hike and find lasting solutions to the matter.
The statement reads: “The Edo State Governor, Mr. Godwin Obaseki, has studied the grievances expressed by protesters as stated in the letter addressed to him on the issue.
“The government acknowledges the plight of the Edo people who have had to endure gruelling experiences accessing petroleum products as well as the exorbitant prices the product is sold for in the State in the last few days.
“On account of that, the government is undertaking the following actions within the next 24 hours: set up a Monitoring Committee made up of actors in the private sector, civil society organisations and government, who will monitor the distribution and pricing of the product in order to ensure that shylock marketers do not take advantage of the situation to rip Edo citizens off.
Government will “schedule a meeting with all stakeholders in the product distribution value chain to deliberate on the issues responsible for distribution hurdles and price hike and find lasting solutions to the matters arising.”
Osagie added, “The government thanks all Edo people for being law-abiding and also appreciates the protesters for being peaceful even as we work with all concerned to ease the situation and build a progressive State together.”
