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FG Slashes Fuel Price To N162.44 Per Litre
A reduction in the pump price of premium motor spirit, otherwise known as petrol, has been announced by the Federal Government, from N168 to N162.44 per litre with effect from December 14.
The Minister of Labour and Employment, Dr Chris Ngige, disclosed this at the end of a meeting with labour leaders which began around 9pm on Monday, and ended at 1:30am, yesterday.
The product presently sells at N168, following the decision of the Petroleum Products Marketing Company (PPMC) to increase the ex-depot price of petrol from N147.67 per litre to N155.17 per litre in November.
The ex-depot price is the price at which the product is sold by the PPMC to marketers at the depots.
The minister said a technical committee has been set up to ensure price stability in the industry.
Ngige stated that the committee, which would report back to the larger house on January 25, would appraise the market forces and other things that would ensure stability in the industry.
He said, “Our discussion was fruitful and the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) which is the major importer and marketers of petroleum products and customers have agreed that there will be a slide down of the pump price of PMS and that the price cut will get us about N5 per litre and that the price cut will take effect from next Monday, a week today.”
Ngige explained that the price reduction was not meant to suspend deregulation because it did not affect the price of crude oil but on areas where the NNPC as the main importer had agreed that it could cut costs like freight and demurrage costs.
He said the new price slash was a product of a joint committee of NNPC and labour representatives, which looked into ways of cutting costs.
Ngige said, “They have come down. There is a price now. They are now touring the DISCOS. They are going all over the country. They have been to Lagos. They have been in Ibadan. They are supposed to be in Kano now, but two members of the committee had taken ill and so, they could not continue.”
He, however, assured that the electricity committee would continue after yuletide and report back again on January 25, 2021.
Also speaking on the issue of palliatives, the minister said, “The palliatives have been rolled out and all hands are on deck to see that the workers start getting the effects as quickly as possible.”
He announced plans by the Federal Government to engage many urban workers and give them stipends every month for the next twelve months as part of the conditional cash transfer.
On the aspect of electricity tariff, both sides agreed to wait till the next meeting date on January 25 to enable the special committee dealing with complaints to conclude their deliberations.
Earlier in his remark, the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Boss Mustapha, lauded the leadership of the organised labour for exhibiting spirit of collective bargaining and negotiation in spite of the demands of their office to cater for the welfare and good of their members.
He said that the overall interest of the nation has not been sacrificed in the negotiations undertaken in the last few months they had to deal with this issue.
Mustapha further said the peaceful resolution of the matter showed that the interest of the nation was fundamental and uppermost in their minds in finding a password to the issues that affect their people.
He also said that the primary responsibility of everyone in the negotiating table was to provide for the well being and good of the Nigerian people.
He commended the steadfastness of leaders of the organised labour to the negotiation, which he described as the hallmark of leadership and commitment to the good of the nation.
The President of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Comrade Ayuba Wabba, corroborated the position of the minister, saying that the agreement was reached by both sides.
Other members of the Federal Government delegation were the Minister of State, Labour and Employment, Festus Keyamo (SAN); his Petroleum counterpart, Timipre Sylva; the Group Managing Director (GMD), NNPC, Mele Kyari; and the Managing Director of Rural Electrification Agency (REA), Ahmad Salihijo.
President of NLC, Ayuba Wabba and his Trade Union Congress (TUC) counterpart, Quadri Olaleye led the organised labour to the meeting.
Nobel Laureate, Professor Wole Soyinka, has called on Nigerians to reject silence in the face of extrajudicial killings and other abuses of human rights.
Soyinka stressed that accountability and civic courage remain essential to rebuilding public confidence in the nation’s institutions.
He made the call during the 28th Wole Soyinka Lecture held in Port Harcourt, last Friday as part of activities marking his 92nd birthday.
The lecture, themed “Reclaiming the Nigerian State through Accountability, Justice and Civic Courage,” drew participants from different sectors of society.
The renowned playwright and human rights advocate said the country’s greatest tragedy was not only the unlawful killings carried out by state and non-state actors, but also the silence that often follows such incidents, allowing perpetrators to evade justice.
According to him, indifference by citizens to abuses of power and violations of fundamental human rights has contributed to the persistence of extrajudicial killings and other forms of injustice across the country.
Soyinka said he dedicated this year’s lecture to victims of unlawful killings, noting that the event was intended to honour individuals who had lost their lives as a result of failures within the justice system and society’s inability to protect the sanctity of human life.
He stressed that the lecture was dedicated to what he described as the basic unit of every society – the human being, and urged Nigerians to place greater value on human dignity irrespective of ethnicity, religion or social status.
The Nobel Laureate recalled several incidents of violence, including the fatal shooting and killing of a young man in Ugheli in Delta State by a police officer, and the mob killing of Deborah Yakubu in Sokoto State sometime ago, lamenting that many of those responsible are yet to face justice.
He expressed concern that some perpetrators of violent crimes had openly admitted their actions without fear of prosecution, describing such situations as evidence of serious failures within the nation’s justice system.
Soyinka maintained that when justice is delayed or denied, public confidence in state institutions continues to erode, thereby encouraging further violations of human rights.
Responding to critics who accuse him of promoting religious or ethnic divisions whenever he spoke on such issues, Soyinka dismissed the allegations and pointed out that his advocacy has always centred on the protection of human life and the rule of law.
He urged Nigerians to remain vigilant and continue demanding justice in cases of alleged extrajudicial killings, including the recent shooting of a young man by a police officer, stressing that every life deserves equal protection under the law.
The literary icon also recalled an earlier pledge by a past incoming president to make public the files relating to unresolved assassinations and extrajudicial killings, questioning the status of the promised investigations.
He challenged citizens to continue asking questions about unresolved cases, insisting that justice, accountability and respect for human dignity are indispensable to building a peaceful, democratic and inclusive Nigerian society.
The Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) has clarified that there was no fire at Terminal 2 of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, contrary to its earlier advisory.
Earlier yesterday, FAAN had announced that a fire incident had occurred at Terminal 2 of the nation’s busiest airport, and assured that its Aerodrome Rescue and Firefighting Service had been deployed to contain the situation.
There were also reports that activities were briefly disrupted at the airport yesterday after smoke was seen inside parts of the terminal.
Videos circulating online showed passengers kept standing outside the terminal while firefighters responded to the incident.
However, in an update issued less than two hours later by the Director of Public Affairs and Consumer Protection, Henry Agbebire, and posted on FAAN’s official X handle, the authority said preliminary findings showed that the smoke seen at the terminal was caused by the discharge of the facility’s FM-200 fire suppression system.
“Further to our earlier advisory regarding the incident at Terminal 2 of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) wishes to provide the following update,” the statement read.
“Preliminary findings indicate that there was no fire at the terminal. The smoke observed within the affected area resulted from the discharge of the terminal’s FM-200 fire suppression system. The reason for the activation of the fire suppression system is currently being investigated,” FAAN stated.
The authority said normal operations had resumed at the terminal while investigations were ongoing to determine the cause of the incident.
“Normal operations have since resumed at the terminal, while detailed investigations are ongoing to determine the exact cause of the incident,” the statement added.
The authority thanked passengers, airlines, airport users and other stakeholders for their understanding and cooperation.
FAAN appreciated the understanding and cooperation of passengers, airlines, airport users and all stakeholders, and reiterated its commitment to the safety and security of all airport operations.