By Monsurat Abisoye
The Muslim Media Watch Group of Nigeria (MMWG) has called on the Federal Government to compel petroleum marketers to reduce fuel prices, insisting there is no justification for petrol to remain above N1,000 per litre following the decline in global oil prices.
In a statement issued on Friday and signed by its National Coordinator, Alhaji Ibrahim Abdullahi, the group said the ceasefire between Iran and the United States had eased tensions in the Gulf region and contributed to a fall in international oil prices.
The organisation described the continued high pump prices of petrol and diesel as insensitive and inhumane, accusing marketers of economic sabotage and insisting that prices should be reduced to below N1,000 per litre.
According to the group, religious bodies had intensified prayers for an end to the Gulf conflict over the past year, questioning why Nigerians should continue to suffer despite the easing of the crisis. It also noted that other countries affected by the conflict are already enjoying lower fuel costs.
To ease economic hardship, MMWG urged the Federal Government to direct marketers to revert to the pre-war petrol price of N700 per litre. It also called on the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) under the Federal Ministry of Trade, Industry, and Investment to intervene urgently.
The group warned that Nigeria’s economic difficulties would persist if petroleum marketers were allowed to increase prices indiscriminately without regulation.
MMWG, however, commended the Dangote Group for its role in reforming the petroleum refining sector and promoting fair pricing, while urging the company to lead efforts to bring down fuel prices and ease the hardship faced by Nigerians.