Petrol: Reps okay N617 per litre

• Reject motion to retain pump price at N537

• Summon NNPCL boss, Mele Kyari

• Urges Tinubu to lift embargo on employment

• Hiked fuel price extortionate, provocative, says PDP

By Christiana Ekpa

The House of Representatives on Wednesday rejected an amended motion seeking to ask the NNPCL to reverse petrol pump price and reverse to the previous N537 pending the appearance of the Group Managing Director of the NNPCL Mele Kyari.

The House rejection followed  a motion of urgent public importance moved by Hon. Ikenga Imo Ugochinyere from Imo state who expressed worry that Nigerians woke up to the increment of fuel price from N550 to N617 per liter across the country, a move which calls for worry.

Ugochinyere prayed the House to constitute an adhoc committee to look into the issue of incessant increment of price of petrol by the NNPCL and report back to the House.

He said “ resultant effect has affected  transportation and price of food in the coming market”

The House is to resolve how best to reduce the impact on the people”

The Lawmaker equally prayed the House to summon the group managing director of the NNPCL and his team to explain to the House the rationale behind the increase”

The Deputy Speaker,  Benjamin Kalu who presided the plenary said the motion was prompt hence the need for debate but he however defended the move by the NNPCL saying what was  playing out is the market force and oil subsidy removal.

He said “It’s like almost all the House wants to second it, that’s impressive”

However the motion was amended by Hon Yampa Zakaria (PDP-Adamawa ) urged the House to suspend the increase in fuel by NNPCL pending the appearance of Mr Mele Kyari, the Chief Executive Officer of NNPCL.

Hon. Shettima Ali (APC-Yobe) seconded the motion, urging that the hike in PMS be reverted pending the appearance of Kyari, but the amendment was rejected.

But the presiding speaker Benjamin Kalu asked the lawmakers not to pre- empt  the Committee” kicking against the amendment by his ruling on favour of the  “Ayes”

A member from Abia State, Amobi Ogah said the issue of increment in PMS is as a result of market forces hence the need for the House to take cognisance of market forces and cannot stop the hiked price by the NNPCL.

The Speaker put the amendment to a voice vote ruling in favour of the Ayes”(okaying the price of N617).

People’s Daily report that since the removal of subsidy on May 29th, prices of PMS have increased leaving condition of Nigerians who are now in pain with transportation skyrocketing.