The Federal Government has denied issuing any orders to marketers to raise the pump price of petrol from N180 per litre to N195.
This denial was made a day after petrol prices were increased by retailers in response to a memo from the Federal Government-owned NNPC Retails Limited.
Despite the hike in rate, the queues are still seen at petrol stations in Abuja with the stations dispensing at the new pump price.
In a statement by his media aide, the Minister of State Petroleum Resources, Chief Timipre Sylva denied that the government gave the order for the price hike.
Sylva said that President Muhammadu Buhari has not approved any price increase for PMS as reported in the media.
According to him: “President Muhammadu Buhari has not approved any increase in the price of PMS or any other petroleum product for that matter. There is no reason for President Muhammadu Buhari to renege on his earlier promise not to approve any increase in the price of PMS at this time. Mr President is sensitive to the plights of the ordinary Nigerian and has said repeatedly that he understands the challenges of the ordinary Nigerian and would not want to cause untold hardship for the electorates.
“Government will not approve any increase of PMS secretly without due consultations with the relevant stakeholders. The President has not directed the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority or any agency for that matter to increase the price of fuel. This is not the time for any price increase in pump price of PMS”.
The Minister noted that “what is playing out is the handiwork of mischief makers and those planning to discredit the achievements of Mr President in the oil and gas sector of the economy. I appeal to Nigerians to remain calm and law-abiding as the government is working hard to bring normalcy to fuel supply and distribution in the country”.
