SAHARA REPORTERS
Students of Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife under the umbrella of Great Ife Students’ Union have threatened to embark on A protest if President Bola Tinubu’s administration fails to address the current fuel crisis as soon as possible.
The students issued the threat in a statement issued on Sunday by the President of Great Ife Students’ Union, Abbas Akinremi Ojo.
Ojo lamented that the current plight of students due to the hikes in fuel prices and the unavailability of fuel for efficient transportation has reached unprecedented levels.
“We, as students, can no longer endure the burden imposed by the government’s neo-classical economic policies,” he lamented.
He said, “Last year, when the decision to eliminate fuel subsidies became public knowledge, many, including students, harbored doubts about its impact on the nation’s economy. Even those who supported the removal of subsidies were skeptical, given the absence of concrete plans to alleviate the ensuing challenges.”
According to Ojo, since President Tinubu announced fuel subsidy removal, Nigerians, especially students, have been grappling with harsh economic realities from soaring electricity tariffs to the skyrocketing cost of living.
He said, “The adverse effects of the government’s capitalist policies have spared no one. Despite these challenges, students persist in their pursuit of education and academic endeavors.
“However, recent events such as fuel shortages and fluctuating prices have left students stranded both on campus and in town. And, it has also made students gnash teeth in excruciating pain because the artificial increase in the price of PMS has affected goods.
“Despite our pleas, the government has turned a deaf ear. As students, we refuse to accept policies which suffocate us.
“As students of Obafemi Awolowo University students, the recent fuel scarcity which is so evident in Ile-Ife town and its environs has rendered us immobile.
“Public transportation services to campus and even within town are disrupted due to fuel shortages, while fuel stations exploit the situation by unjustly hiking prices. Students bear the brunt of these issues directly, pushing us to our limits.
“The reasons behind the fuel scarcity remain elusive with government agencies failing to perform their fiscal responsibility. In a country abundant in fuel resources like Nigeria, obtaining it should not be a struggle. Yet, despite exorbitant expenses, accessibility remains an ongoing challenge.
“We, the students of Obafemi Awolowo University, have been pushed to our limits. We demand immediate action from the government to address the fuel scarcity, curb hoarding practices, and regulate prices.
“We also demand that the government should revive the country’s four refineries. The government must not test our will by not addressing these demands within the next 48 hours.”
“Failure to do so, we shall hit the streets till the government addresses the fuel crisis which constitutes a threat to our academic pursuit,” he added.
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