Nigerians have begun to groan as the price of domestic cooking gas surges further by as much as 50% with many lamenting they would return to cooking with charcoal and firewood.
The consumers told News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) that they could no longer cope with the spiralling costs.
They called on the Federal Government to address the current hike in the price of the commodity to ease people’s suffering.
NANS confirmed from various retailers across the country that contrary to the N3,500 that the 12.5kg cylinder refill sold for in August, it jumped to N7,000 in September and is now sold at between N7,800 and N8,000 depending on the location.
A 6kg cylinder which previously sold for N2,900 has now gone up to N4,200 in less than a month.
A manager in one of the gas plants in Awka told NAN that the price increases were a fall out of the current devaluation of the Naira.
“You know gas is refined and imported into the country, therefore, the price is denominated 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 the cooking in the open market.
A resident of Awka, Smart Okonji said that the continued rise in the price of the commodity was alarming and that it was being felt by all and sundry.
According to him, “As a civil servant with no increment in salary, it is now becoming difficult keeping up with the everyday rise in prices of food, transportation, rent and now cooking gas.
“This development is sad because our country is endowed with natural gas. I also blame the Federal Government for its inability to control the price in the open market.
“I appeal to the government to reduce or have a fixed price for cooking gas to alleviate our sufferings,” Mr Okonji said.
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