Cooking Gas: Nigerians To Resort To Firewood For Cooking As Prices Soar

Some residents of Nigeria’s South-east region have said they would resort to firewood and charcoal if prices of cooking gas continue to soar.

The consumers told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in separate interviews that they could no longer cope with the increase in the prices of cooking gas.

They called on the federal government to address the current hike in the price of cooking gas to ease the people’s suffering.

NAN’s check in some gas plants in Abia, Anambra, Ebonyi, Enugu and Imo states showed that the price of cooking gas had increased by more than 50 per cent.

For instance, a 12.5kg cylinder, which was sold for N6,800 in September, had increased to between N7,800 and N8,000, depending on locations.

A 6kg cylinder which previously sold for N2,900, had gone up to N4,200 in less than a month.

A manager of one of the gas plants in Awka told NAN that the hike was as a result of the current devaluation of the naira.

“You know gas is refined and imported into the country, therefore, the price is dominated by the dollar. So, the more the naira is devalued, the higher the prices will continue to rise,” he said.

Some consumers blamed the government for its inability to control the price of cooking gas in the open market.

-NAN