The National Association of Nigerian Students (Zone D) has rejected the increase in pump price of petrol. The coordinator of NANS Zone D, Kowe Odunayo Amos described the increment as punishment to Nigerians considering the current economic hardship in the country due to the Coronavirus pandemic.
The students’ body, therefore, asked President Muhammadu Buhari and his cabinet members to reverse the pump price or resign.
A statement made available by the students' body reads, “We find it most embarrassing to read of the increment in the price of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) to N163. This is in addition to the 300% increment in electricity tariff. It is on record that this same President Buhari and his anti-people government increased stamp duty; devalued the Naira to the extent that a dollar is almost N500 now.
“No doubt, this government has worsened all the crises it has inherited from the last administration. In fact, the Buhari government is a clear example that we the students must go back to our revolutionary days as we cannot continue to lament. Today, education underfunding has become a norm, healthcare under the pandemic is undergoing cuts officially from government at all levels while the rich run to private hospitals and dash abroad through chartered flights leaving the plebeains to self-medicate.
“As an association, we hereby declare that the Buhari government should all resign or immediately do the following; reverse petrol price to N97, and stop deregulation of the Oil Sector. Stop the devaluation of the naira now. Increase budgetary allocations to education to 35%. Return to the old stamp duty price now.
“Give 500% increment to healthcare budget to reflect the pandemic era. Pay #100,000 cost of study allowance to all students. Stop the Anti-Social Media bill now. As a students' body, we want to state finally and categorically that we have nothing to dialogue or debate on the above demands. The suffering we are going through have made us gone pass that stage. We shall be announcing action venues; dates, and time soon if the government should fail to meet these demands.”
