Fuel subsidy removal: JAF protests petrol increase, tuition fees in Kano

Umbrella body for Pro-Labour civil society groups, the Joint Action Front, JAF, yesterday trooped into the streets of the ancient city of Kano, Kano State, to protest the increases in the pump price of petrol, tuition fees and other harsh economic policies in the country.

Leading the protest, JAF Dr. Dipo Fashina, called on Nigerians to resist the increases and to join the struggle to demand end to the hardship and increasing poverty in Nigeria.

According to Dr. Fashina, “Government has a responsibility to make our refineries to work and build new ones to ensure availability of petroleum products (petrol, diesel, kerosene, aviation fuel etc) at cheaper and affordable prices to all.

“We call for total Reversal of the capitalist policies of privatisation and deregulation responsible for non-functioning of the local refineries, looting by government officials and fuel marketers through fuel importation and the subsidy fraud.

“Government in line with Section 16 of the 1999 Constitution on Economic Objectives, should respect the provisions which state that the economic system is not operated in such manner as to permit the concentration of wealth, means of production and exchange in the hands of few individuals or of a group. Adequate funding of public education at all levels”, among others.