CNPP vows to resist fuel price hike
- The Conference of Nigeria Political Parties (CNPP) describes the proposed N5 per litre of fuel tax reportedly planned by the Senate committee on works as a policy that is anti-people
- CNPP argues that the National Roads Fund Bill if passed, would impose the controversial tax on Nigerians
- The group wonders if the only way the government can raise funds is by increasing the pump price of petroleum prices
The Conference of Nigeria Political Parties (CNPP) has vowed to resist any move by the federal government and the Senate to increase the prices of petroleum products.
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The CNPP in a statement by its secretary general, Willy Ezugwu, on Sunday, June 4, described the proposed N5 per litre of fuel tax reportedly planned by the Senate committee on works as a policy that is anti-people, Channels TV reports.
The CNPP argued that the National Roads Fund Bill if passed, would impose the controversial tax on Nigerians.
“Our findings have shown that the bill titled ‘National Roads Fund (Establishment, etc) Bill 2017’, proposing that N5 to be paid per litre of fuel imported into the country is a ploy by the Federal Government to impose more hardship on Nigerians at a time the burden of recession in the country is becoming unbearable.
“We thought that the Federal Government should be thinking of reducing the already biting hardship in the country after failing to fulfil the promised increment in minimum wage and non-payment of arrears of workers’ salaries and allowances in the past two years," the group said.
It asked if the the current government at the federal level and the National Assembly enjoyed inflicting more and more pains on Nigerian masses.
The group faulted the Senate committee on Works for suggesting a proposal that could lead to fuel price increase.
It wondered if the only way this government can raise funds is by increasing the pump price of petroleum prices
Meanwhile, the Senate committee on works has denied recommending a 5 naira fuel levy on every litre of petroleum or diesel.
Legit.ng gathered that what the Senate committee did was to canvass for the sustainable maintenance of roads from the pricing template of petroleum products.
At the public hearing on the National Roads Fund Bill, stakeholders were unanimous on the need to access a percentage of the funds for the sustainable maintenance of roads from the pricing template of petroleum products.
While the consensus on participants was on a percentage, opinion varied as to what percentage. Some argued for 25%, 11%, 7% and 5% of the value of the price of the product.
This position was held strongly since most other African countries have actually implemented an average of N25 surcharge on petroleum products for the maintenance of their roads.
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Source: Legit.ng
