A U.S.-based lawyer, Ifeanyi Ukwu, has blamed Nigerians for the increases in pump price of fuel by oil marketers.

Mr Ukwu said that the increase was artificial and caused by Nigerians themselves, not politicians.

Citing the fuel subsidy removal as announced by President Bola Tinubu, he said the measure was meant to take effect at the end of June, therefore, the hike in price of fuel was an act of recklessness by Nigerians working in the oil sector.

In an interview in Awka on Thursday, Mr Ukwu said that Nigerians in public positions, either in business or governance, are deliberately inflicting pain on others through their unwholesome acts.

He said that Nigerians should be able to set an agenda for politicians and hold them accountable.

“I cannot say that the politicians are our problems but Nigerians look away from uncivilised actions of the politicians for personal gains and we still turn around to cry foul here and there.

“Nigerians should be transformative and developmental in their decisions and actions towards the affairs of the country but on the fuel price increases they played along and come back to cry foul even when the subsidy had been paid till June 30. The hike is, therefore, unpatriotic.

“We need to be involved in governance because we voted for the politicians and should demand town hall meetings before critical decisions that concern the well being of the people are taken,” he said.

He called on the government agency in charge of social orientation to sensitise the masses on what the subsidy means in governance and the whole story of fuel subsidy removal.

“Many Nigerians do not really understand all the talk about fuel subsidy removal because if they do, it would be warmly accepted,” he said, warning that “poor communication of government policies to the people is a problem.

“Because the people are not abreast with government policies, they usually act in panic and fear, so knowledge of governance is important to the people.

“Marketers who increased pump price of fuel acted in ignorance,” he said.

Mr Ukwu said that the Nigerian populace should change their nonchalant ideology about politicians but set an agenda for them so as to get every benefit due to them as citizens.

“Nigerian labour leaders should not always concern themselves with protests. They should take timely decisive actions to forestall being taken for granted,” he said.

He urged Nigerians not to inflict pain on fellow citizens through unnecessary hike in products but should team up as patriotic citizens to digest government policies and take transformative decisions.

Mr Ukwu said that the actions of Nigerians during the inauguration of President Tinubu was commendable and advised that social and economic issues should be addressed on the dialogue table and not on strike or protest.

(NAN)