Court orders FG to fix prices of petrol, diesel, others

•We’ll study judgement —FG

A Federal High Court sitting in Lagos, yesterday, ordered the federal government to fix the prices of petrol, diesel, kerosene and other goods within seven days from February 7, 2024.

Trial judge, Justice Ambrose Lewis-Allagoa, specifically ordered the government to fix the prices of milk, flour, salt, sugar, bicycles and it’s spare parts, matches, motorcycles and its spare parts, motor vehicles and it’s spare parts as well as petroleum products, including diesel, premium motor spirit, PMS, and kerosene. 

The court made the order in its judgment in a suit by rights activist and lawyer, Mr. Femi Falana, SAN, against the Price Control Board and the Attorney-General of the Federation, AGF.

We’ll study judgement  —FG

Reacting to the judgement, the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Prince Lateef Fagbemi, SAN, said Federal Government would get a copy of the court judgement, study it, with a view to taking necessary actions that would be in the interest of the masses and the nation.

The AGF, who reacted through his Special Adviser, Communication & Publicity, Mr.

Kamarudeen Ogundele, said: “As soon as we have a copy of the judgement, we will study it.  On the long run, we will take a decision that is in the best interest of the country.  Rest assured that this government will always have the interest of the masses at heart.”

Falana had in suit, asked the court to determine “Whether by virtue of Section 4 of the Price Control Act., the first defendant is carrying out its duty to impose a price on any goods that are of the kind specified in the First Schedule to the Price Control Act.”

He had asked the court to declare that by virtue of Section 4 of the Price Control Act Cap, the defendants are under a legal obligation to fix the prices of bicycles and spare parts, flour, matches, milk, motorcycles and spare parts, motor vehicles and spare parts, salt, sugar and petroleum products including diesel, petrol motor spirit and kerosene. 

He also prayed the court to declare that the failure or refusal of the defendants to fix the prices of bicycles and spare parts, flour, matches, milk, motorcycles and spare parts, motor vehicles and spare parts, salt, sugar and petroleum products including diesel, petrol motor spirit and kerosene is illegal as it offends the provision of Section 4 of the Price Control Act, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004. 

He had also sought for an order directing the defendants to fix the prices of bicycles and spare parts, flour, matches, milk, motorcycles and spare parts, motor vehicles and spare parts, salt, sugar and petroleum products including diesel, petrol motor spirit and kerosene not later than 7 days after the delivery of the judgment of this court.”

At the hearing of the suit, yesterday, the plaintiff,  Falana informed the court that the motion on notice is premised on Section 4 (1) of the Price Control Act, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004.

He also told the court that the defendants in the suit have been served with the processes since it was filed in May, 2023, but refused and failed to file any response or counter to it.

He consequently, urged the court to grant all the reliefs sought for, since there was no counter from the respondents.

Justice Lewis-Allagoa after hearing from the lawyer and perusing through the court filed, observed that the defendants did not filed any counter to the suit after citing some plethoras of authorites, held “All the reliefs contained in the motion paper are hereby granted as prayed.”

Falana in the affidavit in support of the motion deposed to by a lawyer in his chambers, Taiwo Olawanle, had averred that theme first defendant, the Price Control Board, was established by the Price Control Act, and it is saddled with the responsibility to fix a price on goods to stabilise the general price level, prevention of hoarding of goods, protection of customers from exorbitant prices, among others. While the second defendant is the Chief Law Officer of the country. 

The deponent averred that on January 3, 2023, he was informed by Plaintiff in this matter: Mr Femi Falana, SAN of the following facts, which I verily believe and still do believe, to wit: “that the following commodities are listed in the Price Control Act: bicycles and its spare parts, Flour, Matches, Milk, Motorcycles and spare parts, Motor vehicles and it’s spare parts, Petroleum products, Salt and Sugar. 

“The Act basically gave the first defendant powers to fix the price of the wide array of commodities listed above. 

“Though the price of the commodities listed above is supposed to be imposed by the 1st defendant, the only petroleum products that are fixed to a certain amount are not being enforced. 

“That the price of a bag of rice which was formerly N8,000 has risen to N45,000 in the market. 

“That the situation in the market is by each passing day is becoming unbearable for consumers as prices of goods kept rising on daily basis. 

“Sellers are not always sincere as they are so desperate to make excessive profits at the expense of the buyers

“Food prices which human being should not be deprived of are on the high side due to lack of price fixing by the first defendant. And that buyers are at the receiving end when the prices of goods are increased as they tend to suffer for it more. 

“That selling the bank is not in the best interest of the staff, customers and taxpayers whose money was used for the bailout of the bank. And that the incessant increase in prices of goods in the country got the attention of Federal House of Representatives recently that it resolved to set up a special committee to look into the situation.

“The increase in prices of goods has forced various categories of eateries and canteens to increase the prices of their meals, attributing the high costs to unstable and unfavourable prices of farm produce. 

“That there is need for the first defendant to rise up to its task at imposing prices on these commodities. That unless the Defendants are mandated by this court to wake up to their responsibilities, the prices of good would continue to skyrocket.” 

Culled from Vanguard