National Assembly rejects motion seeking to revert petrol price to ₦537 per litre

On Tuesday, July 18, 2023, fuel prices hit ₦617 per litre as marketers adjusted pumps with many Nigerians calling on the government to put palliative in place to cushion the effect of the price hike on transportation.

While moving the motion on Wednesday, July 19, 2023, Hon. Ikenga Ugochinyere, the lawmaker urged the House to invite the group Managing Director of the Nigeria National Petroleum Company Limited, Mele Kyari and oil marketers to explain the sudden increase in petrol price.

Ugochinyere argued that the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 empowers the National Assembly to conduct investigations into the activities of any authority.

The lawmaker said the marketers increased the petrol price from ₦537 to ₦617 on Tuesday without conferring with the relevant government agencies.

The lawmaker said the hike in the price of fuel would heap great suffering and hardship on Nigerians.

However, the House resolved to investigate the sudden increase in the price of petrol but rejected the suggestion to revert to the old price.

The House also asked its committee to propose palliative measures to tackle the suffering of the people.