The Federal Government of Nigeria has been ordered by a Federal High Court in Ikoyi, Lagos, to control the prices of goods and petroleum products among other commodities within a seven-days.
On Wednesday, February 7, 2024, Justice Ambose Lewis-Allagoa rendered the decision in response to an initial motion that was put forth and defended by well-known human rights advocate Femi Falana SAN.
Justice Lewis-Allagoa stressed in his decision that no counter-affidavit was submitted in opposition to the originating motion, even after it was served to the respondents—the Price Control Board and the Attorney-General of the Federation.
As a result, all of the prayers requested in the motion papers were granted since all of the facts stated in the affidavit that was attached to the original motion were deemed admitted.
The court’s directive includes instructions for the government to establish fixed prices for essential items such as milk, flour, salt, sugar, bicycles, and their spare parts. Additionally, the government is mandated to regulate the prices of matches, motorcycles, motor vehicles, and their respective spare parts, alongside petroleum products including diesel, petrol motor spirit (PMS), and kerosene.
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Falana (SAN) had brought the matter before the court, arguing that the government, as per Section 4 of the Price Control Act, was obligated to set prices for specified goods listed in the First Schedule to the Price Control Act. He further contended that the failure or refusal of the defendants to fix prices for the mentioned commodities and petroleum products was unlawful, violating the provisions of Section 4 of the Price Control Act.
The court, therefore, declared that the defendants were legally bound to establish prices for the identified goods and petroleum products.
Furthermore, an order was issued directing the defendants to finalize the pricing within seven days following the delivery of the court’s judgment.
“I have had the applicant Femi Falana in a suit no San, 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.”
“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 seven days after the delivery of the Judgment of this Honourable Court.”
