By John Ogunsemore
A former aide to ex-Vice President Atiku Abubakar, Daniel Bwala has condemned the Federal Government for allegedly failing to properly educate Nigerians on the recent fuel price hike.
Bwala spoke in an X post on Wednesday.
Daily Sun reports that on Tuesday the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) increased the pump price of petrol from N617 per litre to N897 per litre.
Checks at NNPCL retail stations in Lagos reflected the new price.
The increment, which the NNPCL has not officially confirmed, comes days after the national oil company said it was heavily constrained by the huge debt it owes international suppliers. The debt is estimated to be $6.8 billion.
The hike in fuel pump price has attracted criticism from various quarters, with the main opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) describing it as “an attack on Nigerians”.
Reacting, Bwala said the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources (Oil), Senator Heineken Lokpobiri, and Group Managing Director of NNPCL, Mele Kyari, should do a better job explaining to Nigerians the justification for the hike in pump price.
He said the minister and NNPCL GMD’s silence on the matter has given room to the opposition to feast on the situation.
“When NNPCL announced a major policy decision like the increase of petrol, you would expect the GMD to make the media rounds dissecting and explaining to Nigerians the genuine intentions of govt based on economic realities.
“But alas, he is nowhere to be found; totally incommunicado.
“The minister of state for petroleum too is incommunicado; and this has given room for the opposition to peddle all kinds of negative narrative around it,” Bwala said.
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