The National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) has expressed deep dissatisfaction with the removal of the fuel subsidy by President Bola Tinubu’s administration, stating that it has exacerbated the fuel crisis rather than alleviating it.
The student body highlighted the increased hardships faced by Nigerians and the persistent fuel scarcity resulting from the policy change.
In a statement released on Saturday by Abdul-Yekinn Odunayo, NANS National Clerk of the Senate, the organization voiced its concerns from Abeokuta. “NANS is deeply concerned about the prevailing high cost and persistent scarcity of petrol in our country. This crisis has continued to persist despite the removal of fuel subsidy which has brought untold hardships to Nigerians,” Odunayo stated.
The statement emphasized the negative impact on the economy and the well-being of students across the nation. “This crisis is not only crippling the economy but also severely impacting the welfare and academic pursuits of students across the nation. Nigerians are experiencing unprecedented hardship and going through hell before they can get to buy fuel.”
Odunayo criticized the failure to fulfill promises made by President Tinubu regarding the disappearance of fuel queues. “Queues have been a common thing at petrol stations across the country despite the promise by President Bola Tinubu that fuel queues will disappear in the country after the removal of subsidy, but that has not been the case,” he said.
The rising cost of petrol has led to increased transportation fares and a surge in prices for essential goods and services, further burdening consumers and raising the cost of living. Odunayo remarked, “The exorbitant cost of petrol has led to a sharp increase in transportation fares, caused a surge in the prices of essential goods and services. The increased cost of transportation and production is being passed on to consumers, exacerbating the already high cost of living.”
Reflecting on the situation one year after the subsidy removal, NANS expressed a bleak outlook. “It is regrettable that, one year after the removal of subsidy, the fuel crisis has even worsened and it appears the country is operating under a curse.”
NANS called on the federal government and the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) to take swift and decisive action to address the fuel crisis before the situation deteriorates further. “We urge the federal government to take swift and decisive action to alleviate this pressing issue before Nigerians are pushed to the wall,” Odunayo concluded.
