The Federal Government has denied any increase in the price of Premium Motor Spirit, popularly called petrol, despite the hike in the cost of the commodity across the country.
The Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Timipre Sylva, in an issued statement in Abuja yesterday by his media aide, Horatius Egua, said President Muhammadu Buhari had not approved any price increase for PMS.
He was quoted as saying, There is no reason for President Buhari to renege on his earlier promise not to approve any increase in the price of PMS at this time.
Mr. President is sensitive to the plight of the ordinary Nigerian, and has said repeatedly that he understands the challenges of the ordinary Nigerian and would not want to cause untold hardship for the electorate.
The minister continued: Government will not approve any increase of PMS secretly without due consultations with the relevant stakeholders. The President has not directed the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority, or any agency for that matter, to increase the price of fuel.
This is not the time for any increase in the pump price of PMS.
He said what was playing out was the handiwork of mischief makers and those planning to discredit the achievements of the President in the oil and gas sector of the economy.
Oil marketers had earlier confirmed the increase in petrol price by N10, stating that this was one of the reasons why major marketers were currently dispensing the commodity at higher rates.
