Court gives FG seven days to Fix Price of goods, petroleum products

The Federal High Court, Ikoyi, Lagos, has ordered the federal government to fix the prices of goods and petroleum products, within seven days.

The court ordered the Federal Government to fix the price of Milk, Flour, salt, sugar, bicycles and its spare parts, matches, motorcycles and its spare parts, motor vehicles and its spare parts, as well as Petroleum products, which include diesel, premium motor spirit (PMS) and kerosene.

“I have had the applicant, Femi Falana (SAN), in a suit no, FHC/L/CS/869/2023 and I have also discovered that despite the service of the Originating motion on the respondents, namely Attorney-General of the Federation and the Price Control Board, no opposition to it by way of counter affidavit, which is law that all the facts deposed in the affidavit attached to the originating motion are all deemed admitted.

“Consequently, all prayers that are sought for in the motion papers are hereby granted as prayed”, Justice Ambose Lewis-Allagoa declared on Wednesday, while ruling on an originating motion filed by human rights activist, Femi Falana (SAN).

Falana (SAN) had approached the court, seeking “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.

“A declaration 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, premium motor spirit and kerosene.

“A declaration 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, Cap…., Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004.

“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 Judgement of this Honourable Court.”