The Nigeria Union of Journalists has raised the alarm over the new increase in the new pump price of petrol to N617 per litre in Abuja and N568 in Lagos respectively.
In a statement issued Tuesday by the National Secretary of the Union, Shuaibu Leman, decried that this development had already triggered astronomical increases in transportation costs, with prices of food items soaring almost beyond the reach of many citizens, even as users of generators to power their homes are already groaning uncontrollably under the present situation.
The Union noted that while it applauded the decision of the federal government to remove the costly subsidies on fuel, however, it said it had cautioned against a hasty implementation of the policy without putting mitigating measures in place to cushion the excruciating effects.
It added: “We are saddened by the fact that today most people can hardly commute to work or other places of business without too much stress because the embarrassing sudden surge in petrol prices has made it so.
“We believe that this sudden decision is an overkill and urge that the situation should be reversed immediately while adequate measures are considered and put in place to lessen the effects on ordinary Nigerians.”