Pump price hike: Group urges FG to provide palliatives

DAYO EMMANUEL

While organised labour in Nigeria continues to agitate over the recent hike in pump price of petroleum, a faith –based organisation, Centre for Righteous Living (CRIL), has called on all parties concerned to see reasons and allow peace to reign especially as the government is about to settle to do the business of governance.
President of the organisation, Rev. Solomon Adegbolagun, addressing journalists in Lagos, said, “The organisation believes and stands for emergence and enthronement of righteous people and leadership.” The cleric also stated that governance of good people of Nigeria at all levels and to ensure that justice and fairness is demonstrated in leadership across board.”
The group however suggests that the Federal Government makes the repairs of available refineries a priority as well as initiating the construction of new ones. It also wants the government to encourage the promotion of private investors in that regard.
Among other demands of the group, according to Adegbolagun who suggests further efforts in creating employments for Nigerians and diversification of the economy, which had solely stayed on oil and gas, said, “The government should also come up with palliatives to cushion the effects of increase in the cost of living, a jerk up in the minimum wage can also be considered.”
Urging Nigerians to be patient and law abiding, Adegbolagun said, “As a body that promotes and supports righteousness in governance, we cannot but express our concerns on the prevailing state of the nation under the leadership of President Muhammadu Buhari through his All Progressive Congress (APC).”
Applauding the government’s anti-corruption drive, the cleric noted that the government in its first year in office has exposed Nigerians to the rots left by the past administration characterised by wanton corruption.
On the rampaging Fulani herdsmen, the organisation through its president said, the activities of the criminals are not acceptable, we are not condoning slowness and non-punitive government actions on this,” he said, adding that, “A single life is precious before the Lord, how much more blood of many Nigerians. I commend what the government has done on Boko Haram, but it is not enough until criminals are completely wiped from our space.”