The Federal government, on Friday, denied increasing the price of petroleum products in the country.
After several weeks of a crippling shortage of petrol, several filling stations in Lagos, Abuja, Rivers, and other parts of the country are selling the Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) aka petrol for between N300 and N450 per litre.
The development has fuelled insinuations about an increase in the price of the product by the Federal government.
However, the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Timipre Sylva, through a statement by his media aide, said President Muhammadu Buhari has not approved any increase in the price of petroleum products.
He described the scarcity and price hike as the handiwork of mischief makers who are determined to undermine the President’s efforts at improving the nation’s oil and gas sector.
Sylva said: “President Muhammadu Buhari has not approved any increase in the price of PMS or any other petroleum product for that matter.
“There is no reason for President Muhammadu 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 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.”