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• Increase fuel affecting education
By Gabriel Dike
Worried by news making round that fuel importers would increase pump price next week, the National Parent Teacher Association of Nigeria (NAPTAN) Monday appealed to President Bola Tinubu to approve dollar concession to the marketers.
The Deputy National President of NAPTAN, Chief Adeolu Ogunbanjo told Daily Sun that any new increase in pump price would lead to further hardship in the country and would affect several sectors of the economy.
His words: “We just rose from a meeting. We are concerned about the intention of petroleum importers to increase the pump price by the end of this week. It concerns parents and our children. Every Nigerian workers, give or take, about 50 percent who are married are parents with children and are not finding things easy.
“We want to appeal to President Tinubu on this situation. We agree with fuel subsidy removal. However, a situation where you unify the naira to a dollar and use it to import fuel at whatever market forces detect is terrible on Nigerians and is sniffing lives out everyday.
“We want to advice and plead with Mr. President to please give fuel importers concessionary rate of a dollar until the refineries are fixed. Then, once that is done, then petroleum price will stabilize. Whatever we are paying now we accept. Let them work on the lending cost of the current rates and give the marketers concessionary rate, so that it won’t go beyond the price we are paying currently.
“All importers of fuel should be given the concessionary rate. Fuel affects everything in the country. Many companies are retrenching and salaries are being cut. So, we want to appeal to Mr. President that whatever dollar the importers will need be given to them. We are on our knees prostrating and begging him.”
Chief Ogunbajo stressed that any further increment on fuel, the nation can never tell what may come out of it.
“Recent increment on school fees is based on fuel subsidy removal. The government has said no approval for payment of tuition fees. Let the government work out the modalities to maintain the current price. Otherwise Nigerians will be dieing on the street.
“Nigerian parents are pleading with Mr. President to maintain the current price. He should not let it go beyond the current pump price,” Ogunbanjo stated.
