Justice Ambrose Lewis-Allagoa of the Federal High Court, Ikoyi, Lagos State, has issued a directive compelling the federal government to establish price regulations for various goods and petroleum products within a seven-day period.
The judge’s ruling came in response to a motion presented and argued by Femi Falana SAN, a respected human rights activist. Falana sought the court’s intervention on several matters, including the obligation of the government to impose pricing on specified goods under the Price Control Act.
The court granted the following requests made by Falana:
- A declaration that the government is legally obligated to set prices for bicycles and spare parts; flour; matches; milk; motorcycles and spare parts; motor vehicles and spare parts; salt; sugar; and petroleum products, including diesel, petrol (PMS), and kerosene, as per Section 4 of the Price Control Act.
- A declaration that the failure or refusal of the government to set prices for the aforementioned goods and petroleum products is unlawful, as it contravenes Section 4 of the Price Control Act.
- An order directing the government to establish prices for the specified goods and petroleum products within seven days after the delivery of the court’s judgment.
In delivering the judgment, Justice Ambrose Lewis-Allagoa noted the absence of any opposition from the respondents, including the Attorney-General of the Federation and the Price Control Board. Consequently, all facts deposed in the affidavit attached to the originating motion were deemed admitted.
Therefore, the Nigerian government was mandated to regulate the prices of milk, flour, salt, sugar, bicycles and their spare parts, matches, motorcycles and their spare parts, motor vehicles and their spare parts, as well as petroleum products, including diesel, petrol (PMS), and kerosene, within the specified timeframe.
