Students protest increase pump price, electricity tariff in Ogun

Students in Ogun state on Tuesday protested increase in the pump price of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) otherwise known as petrol and electricity tariff.

The students, under the aegis of National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS), Ogun Joint Campus Committee (JCC) and National Association of Ogun State Students (NAOSS) described the increment as anti-masses and inhumane.

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The placard carrying students stormed the state secretariat of the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) in Abeokuta, the state capital to register displeasure over the development.

The students knocked the State Governor, Dapo Abiodun for backing the Federal government’s policy, saying they were disappointed with the governor’s stand.

Abiodun during his visit to the State House last week backed the increase in fuel price and electricity.

The students demanded that the governor immediately withdraw his statement.

They lamented that the increment would further compound the woes of the people and called on President Buhari to immediately reverse the increment.

Speaking to journalists, the Chairman of Ogun NANS, Comrade Tomiwa Bamidele accused the government of insensitivity.

He said, “We believe that our students are the end receivers of this anti-masses and anti-poor policies because an increment in the price of petroleum is an increment in the cost of transportation.

“And now that our students are going back to school, they will have issues, the salaries of their parents have not been increased, the government has not put in place some measures to reduce the suffering of our people.

“Having being greeted by COVID-19 at the beginning of this year, for our government to be coming again at this time of the day with this increment in price shows that our leaders are selfish and they don’t have the interest of the people at heart.

“When we heard the governor supporting the increment in PMS pump price last week, we were disappointed that our highly placed governor could place the ambition of the party against the good will of the people.

“We are disappointed at the statement of the governor and we have asked him to withdraw that statement and also go back to the President and let him know that the people are not with him on this”, Bamgbose said.

Addressing the students, the state Chairman of NLC, Comrade Emmanuel Bankole called on every Nigerian to raise up and reject the increment.

He said “When it is time for action, all of us must rally together, poverty does not know religion, it does not recognise ethnicity or tribalism, poverty is poverty. It is left for you and I to see the times ahead ant to know that it calls for commitment.

“You have spoken loud for the leaders of this country to know that you know what is happening and never again will you allow your future to be trampled on or for some people to be playing on your future.

“On the part of the NLC, I want to assure you that we shall always be there to give you the support that you need any time where necessary.”