Why the Government Must Comply with Court Order on Fixing Prices of Goods and Petroleum Products: A Legal Perspective

A recent Federal High Court ruling in Lagos has ordered the Nigerian government to fix the prices of goods and petroleum products within seven days.

This ruling has sparked a conversation about the importance of government intervention in regulating prices to protect consumers and ensure a stable economy.

In an interview on Channels Television’s Sunrise Daily, human rights lawyer Monday Ubani, a former Chairman of the Section of Public Interest and Development Law (SPIDEL) of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), expressed his support for the court order, stating that the government must comply with it.

He argued that a government that is interested in making the lives of its people better should intervene in the process and fix prices on items.

Ubani also mentioned that the failure of the government to regulate prices has allowed sellers to take undue advantage of consumers.

He believes that a government that loves Nigeria would follow the court’s order and not appeal the judgement.

The court order requires the government to fix 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 motor spirit (PMS), and kerosene.

As the deadline approaches, it remains to be seen whether the government will comply with the court order or seek to appeal it.

Regardless, the ruling has sparked a much-needed conversation about the role of government in regulating prices and protecting consumers in Nigeria.