Subsidy Removal: Catholic priests, lawyers, others join protest in Enugu


On January 11, 2012 · In News

| 12:45 am

BY CHINENYEH OZOR

ENUGU – Catholic priests, lawyers and civil society organisations in Nsukka, yesterday, defied ban on rallies by Governor Sullivan Chime of Enugu State and protested against the increase in pump price of petrol from N65 to N141 by the Federal Government.

The demonstrators took to the streets in trucks, tippers and horses, denouncing the hardship inflicted on the masses by the President Goodluck Jonathan-led administration, even as banks and public schools remained closed.

Also, thousands of market women, who were unable to join their colleagues during the protest, converged at the St Theresa’s Catholic Cathedral to pray for “Nigeria in distress’’ just as other demonstrators carried placards with different inscriptions denouncing the new petrol price, thus bringing economic activities in the area to a standstill.

Addressing the demonstrators at St. John’s Parish, Ugwuoye, Nsukka, Director, National Human Rights Corps, Mr Jonathan Ogbuka, said the new increase in pump price of petrol had shown that the government was not bothered about the welfare of its citizens, as it amounted to burying them alive.

Ogbuka noted that President Jonathan should first of all reduce the huge expenditure by the government to maintain the presidency, adding that it was inhuman for Jonathan to spend N1billion on food alone this year apart from the billions budgeted for security, while the masses walloped in abject poverty.

The Police Area Commander, Nsukka, Mohamed Lawal and the Divisional Police Officer, Mr Jacob Muri followed the protesters from the beginning till about 5pm to ensure that the peaceful procession was not hijacked by hoodlums.