Residents of Nasarawa State have decried the increasing cost of Liquefied Petroleum Gas in the state and appealed for the urgent intervention of the government on the matter.
Some of the residents who spoke with Arewa PUNCH on Tuesday in Lafia lamented that the unabating hike in the price of the commodity has made life more difficult for them and members of their families.
The residents, therefore, concluded that if nothing is urgently done by both the government and the entire supply chain to address the matter, they may have to resort to the use of firewood or charcoal for cooking.
Speaking with our correspondent, Ibrahim Aliyu, a resident of Shabu community in the Lafia Local Government Area of the state, explained that the old prices of N800 and N900 per kilograms were no longer obtainable as most gas stations now sell the commodity between the rates of N1,050 and N1,200.
He added that the timing for the increase of cooking gas is wrong because Nigerians are yet to recover from the hardship brought upon them by the removal of the fuel subsidy which has distorted the economy of the nation.
He stressed, “It is sad that the cost of cooking gas keeps increasing almost on a daily basis, and nothing is being done about it.
“’We need the help of the government to address the issue. Otherwise, we may have to start using charcoal or firewood.
“The situation is very worrisome because salaries have not increased for many years now. We are going through a lot already due to the hardship caused as a result of the fuel subsidy removal by the federal government.”
Another resident of Agwatashi community in the Obi LGA, Ibrahim Inuwa, who sells cooking gas in small quantity (Retailer), said he had not been able to purchase the commodity for over a month due to the hike in prices.
He added that many of his customers have resorted to the use of charcoal and firewood, a measure that has reduced the business patronage.
“Since the hike in the prices of cooking gas, life has been difficult for members of my family because the patronage has been low. I am waiting to see if the prices will be reduced so that I can buy to resell to my customers.
“Almost everything in the market has become very expensive, and we don’t know how we can escape from the situation we have found ourselves. I am appealing to the government to look into the matter because it is my only means of livelihood, and my wife has been jobless for many years,” he said.
When our correspondent visited Ankani Gas station in Lafia, it was discovered that one Kilogram of cooking gas sold for N1,200 as against the N950, which was the steady price in January this year.
The Managing Director of Ankani Gas station, Abass Enokela, explained to Arewa PUNCH that he does not know the actual reason why the prices of cooking gas were hiked.
According to Ankani, “What is happening now is very shocking to us. We have never seen this kind of increase in the price of cooking gas since this business was birthed some years ago.
“The increase is also affecting our business as a lot of customers now resort to using firewood and charcoal for cooking.
“So, I am appealing to the government and all other stakeholders to put their hands on deck towards addressing the issue in order to reduce the sufferings of residents of the state,” he pleaded.
Meanwhile, the Nasarawa State government has banned the use of charcoal in the state in order to protect the environment and the natural habitat of the animal species.
The state government also warned residents who sell and use charcoal to desist from it in order to avoid being prosecuted in accordance with the environmental laws of the state.
The state Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources explained that the process of producing charcoal was very harmful to the environment as it destroys the climate, thereby increasing global warming.
“Cutting trees can result in the loss of habitat for animal species, which can harm the ecosystems. Almost all the land animals and plants live in forests, and many cannot survive the deforestation that destroys their homes and because of that, we are warning residents who sell and use charcoal to desist from it in order to avoid being prosecuted according to the laws,” a former Permanent Secretary of the ministry, Aliyu Agwai, warned.
However, speaking on the escalating gas prices, which is negatively impacting the residents, the Special Adviser to Governor Abdullahi Sule on Political Affairs, Dr. Kassim Muhammed-Kassim also called on President Bola Tinubu to take a decisive action on the matter in order to reduce the suffering of the people.
Dr. Kassim emphasised the detrimental effects of elevated gas costs on both transportation and commodity prices, which he said disproportionately burden the most vulnerable segments of society.
He maintained, “Reducing gas prices is even more crucial for the poorest individuals compared to reducing the price of petroleum.
“Only the wealthy ones complain about the increasing prices at petrol stations, while the poor ones suffer from the increasing prices of cooking gas and other items on a daily basis.”
Highlighting the urgency of the situation, Dr. Kassim further urged the President, Bola Tinubu, to listen to the pain of anguish of the masses and initiate measures to alleviate their economic strain.
“The administration at the federal level is of the All Progressives Congress, so as members of our great party, it is our duty to proffer suggestions and advice when necessary. We must support the President by maintaining peaceful co-existence with one another and allowing him to focus on activities that will improve our current situation in the country,” he pointed out.
