To cushion effects of the current economic hardship facing Nigerians, a non governmental organization, the Muslim Media Watch Group of Nigeria, MMWG, has appealed to the Federal Government to evolve a perfect economic model that would include early reduction of pump-price of fuel; pointing out that the current suffering is tied to the increase of fuel prices.
The group also urged the government to establish National Commodities Board with stringent laws through the powers of the National Assembly, NASS to checkmate undesirable elements in certain trades who are bent on creating hardship for the people purposely to sabotage government efforts and pursue their own selfish interests.
MMWG, in a statement jointly signed by its National Coordinator, Alhaji Ibrahim Abdullahi and the National Secretary, Dr. Nasir Balogun, however, commended President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for directing the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited, NNPCL to supply regularly crude oil to the newly commissioned Dangote Refinery with payment made for the crude purchased in Naira instead of dollars.
The group maintained that “as long as our crude oil are refined in Nigeria in large quantity, the cost price of fuel would reduce drastically and the suffering of the people would be minimised as prices of goods, food items and services would come down again.”
It also called on those capable financially in oil business in Nigeria to embark on establishment of more refineries to break any possible monopoly.
Meanwhile, the group has charged the Inspector General of Police, IGP, Kayode Egbetokun not to delay further in tracing the whereabout of Dr. Ganiyat Popoola who was abducted in Kaduna over eight months ago and has not been set freed up till now by the kidnappers.
The female medical doctor, according to the group, was reportedly kidnapped along with her husband and the nephew since December last year, adding that after several millions of Naira had been demanded and allegedly paid, only the husband was released, while the wife and her nephew remained in captivity.
“It is worrisome that Police authorities in Kaduna State and Force Headquarters, Abuja are not saying anything on this matter.
“The silence of the security agencies on this particular matter made the Association of Resident Doctors, ARD to embark on placard-carrying protests in various hospitals all over the country few days ago ago and has led to the strike action embarked upon by the members of the association since Monday,” it stated.
While commending the Police on their successes in certain reported criminal cases, the group wondered why that of Dr. Ganiyat Popoola has remained unattended to, leading to serious deterioration of her health in captivity and that of her nephew who has been reportedly going blind.
MMWG, therefore, enjoined the IGP to employ the strategies used in getting freedom for 20 medical students travelling to the South East in securing the release of Dr. Popoola in Kaduna as quickly as possible.
It also appealed to the Kaduna State Government too, to as a matter of urgency, rescue the abductee and her nephew without further delay, noting that “with the help of technology, the location of the abductors and their victims are easily traceable; what then is the cause of delay in getting the unfortunate victims released.”