Fuel/Electricity Prices: Students Protest In Osun

The National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) on Tuesday, protested in Osogbo, the Osun State capital, against the recent increase in the pump price of petrol and the hike in electricity tariffs.

The protesters wore the berets of the #RevolutionNow Movement.

The students were said to have taken off the protest from Freedom Park, Osogbo, and moved through MDS road to Olaiya Junction.

They chanted anti-government songs.

They also carried placards with various inscriptions like “FG is insensitive to Nigerians plights”, “We demand a reversal of the increment in prices of petrol and electricity”, “We are in pains”, among others.

According to NANS Public Relations Officer in the Zone, Kazeem Olalekan, the students will continue to occupy the streets until the government reverses the price increase policy against the people.

This comes a few days after members of the Coalition for Civil Societies also staged a protest in the state over the increment.

Recall that a new electricity tariff regime was early this month, implemented across the country by Electricity Distribution Companies (DisCos).

This followed the directive given to DisCos by the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) to maintain a N4 tariff for all customers, who consume less that 50kWh of energy per month.

The government, through the Petroleum Products Marketing Company, a subsidiary of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation also increased the price of petrol with a litre now sold at N162.

But the government said it may not reverse the new fuel pump price regime as it was determined to end the culture of fuel subsidy, which according to it, has gulped about N10.78 trillion in 14years.