CICAN advocates involving OPS by FG on policies making

By allcitynews.ng

The Commerce and Industry Correspondents Association of Nigeria ( CICAN) has condemned the recent Premium Motor Spirit ( PMS) hike. Even as the body describing the hike as a pain too much to bear by the Nigerian masses, called on Federal Government to involve the Organised Private Sector in taking decisions on palliative measures.

Likewise the body called on Federal Government to involve members of Organised Private Sector {OPS} in policies formulation in order to carry the interests of the masses in such decisions making.

CICAN in a statement signed by the Chairman, Mr Charles Okonji and the Secretary, Mrs Lucy Ekpeyong, noted that the fuel hike has made it practically impossible for most Nigerians to transport to their place of work or their place were they eke out their daily livelihood.

The statement noted that the cost of transportation has gone up to the roof top, adding that most people have been unable to go about as a result of hardship inflicted on them.

Noting that the one of the resultant effects of the hike has been jerking up of the prices of goods and services thereby making it very difficult for people to even feed twice a day.

“The recent PMS hikes as a result of subsidy removal has pushed up the prices of goods and services beyond the reach of ordinary people.

“Most of our people are unable to get to their places of work to carry out their daily business. Unless something is done to address this, it will further drive majority of people into deeper poverty.”

Morever, the duo pointed out that: “We hereby on behalf of the Nigerian masses, plead with the Federal Government to quickly rollout the palliative it has in the pipeline to ameliorate the serious pains and hardship the masses have been subjected to since May 30th, 2023.”

Additionally, the statement noted that while the CICAN is delighted about the promise by the Federal Government to increase salaries of workers, government should realised that more than 70 per cent of our youths are unemployed or do not work for the federal, state government or the local government.

“CICAN is aware of the promise of the Federal Government that it would soon announce salary increase to ammeloriate the hardship caused by the PMS subsidy removal.

“We want to remind the government that the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) reports have stated that over 50 per cent of our youths are unemployed.

“We also want to inform the government that most of the private companies in particular and the Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) in general will not be able to increase their workers salaries.”

Furthermore, the duo noted that:”We therefore make bold to say that most of our people who work in the Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) and many private establishments including many media houses that have not been able to pay the peanuts for months will not consider the idea of salaries increase for their workers” the statement noted.”

CICAN postulated that once the government announced of the impending salary increase, landlords, transporters and traders will also further increase the prices of their products or services, thereby making the impending salary increment useless.