• Abuja residents groan

From Charity Nwakaudu,  Abuja

Residents  of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) are lamenting the renewed increase in cooking gas prices, saying the development has forced many households to return to using charcoal and firewood.

They said the rising cost of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG), popularly known as cooking gas, has worsened the financial pressure on families already struggling with high food prices, transportation costs, school expenses and other household needs.

A survey by Daily Sun revealed that cooking gas currently sells for between N1,700 and N2,000 per kilogramme in parts of Abuja, depending on the location and retailer.

The increase, according to residents, has reversed the temporary relief they enjoyed when gas prices dropped some weeks ago.

Some residents said they had completely abandoned cooking gas for charcoal, while others had reduced the quantity they purchased and changed their cooking habits to minimise consumption.

Amina Usman, said the latest increase forced her to return to using charcoal, despite the inconvenience associated with it.

“We thought the price of gas had come down, but now it has gone back to where it was. Some people sell for N1,750 or N1,800 per kilogramme, while some places charge as much as N2,000.

“We are really suffering. There is no electricity to fall back on, so many of us are now forced to use charcoal because that is the only alternative.

“I did not even know how to light charcoal properly, but because of the high cost of gas, I had to learn. A friend taught me how to use kerosene and small sticks to make the fire come up easily.

“Now, I have completely stopped using gas in my house. By the time I buy six kilogrammes, sometimes it does not last up to one week,” she said.

She lamented that the cost of feeding a family had become unbearable, with transportation, electricity, children’s school expenses and food prices competing for the little income available.

According to her, the situation has become so difficult that some families now consider how much gas a particular meal would consume before deciding what to cook.

She also expressed concern that some parents might resort to preparing food hurriedly to conserve gas, potentially exposing their children to improperly cooked meals.

Abraham Suleiman, who lives in Dutse Alhaji, said the increase had prevented him from enjoying some of his favourite meals.

He said his earnings as a private school teacher were barely enough to meet his basic needs, making the additional burden of expensive cooking gas difficult to bear.

“The increase in gas prices has really stopped me from cooking my favourite food. There are many things I enjoy eating that I no longer eat because I consider how much gas they will consume.

“My salary is not even up to N70,000. I have to pay for transportation and buy other things. By the time I buy gas, what is left?

“As a young man, you don’t expect me to start using charcoal to cook my meals. It is embarrassing, but life is becoming difficult,” he said.

Suleiman appealed to the government to urgently intervene and reduce the cost of cooking gas to ease the burden on low-income earners.

Similarly, Florence Ufo said the increase had made it difficult for her to prepare balanced meals for the children.

She insisted that most families now avoided preparing certain foods because of the amount of gas required, while others hurriedly prepared meals to conserve their cooking fuel.

According to her, the situation could affect children’s nutrition and expose them to health risks where meals were not properly prepared.

A resident, Lilian Ndubuisi, said she had reduced the quantity of gas she purchased because of the rising cost.

“I used to buy seven kilogrammes of cooking gas, but when I went to buy it a few days ago, I was told that a kilogramme now costs N1,850. I had no option but to reduce the quantity.

“I am a secondary school teacher, and I am appealing to the government to do something urgently to reduce the burden on low-income earners like us,” she said.

Cooking gas retailers also lamented poor patronage, saying the rising prices have significantly reduced their sales.

Mr Dave Sunny, said he had reduced his profit margin to attract customers but was still struggling to make reasonable sales.

“Before, I could sell more than 100kg in a week, but now I hardly sell half of that quantity. It is affecting my income and my ability to meet family and other financial obligations,” he said.

He urged the government to work with gas suppliers to reduce the cost of LPG, noting that any reduction at the supply end would eventually benefit consumers.

Chimaobi Nkem attributed the decline in patronage to the worsening economic situation and rising prices of essential commodities.

“Gas that used to sell for between N400 and N500 has risen to over N1,000, while fuel prices have also increased. Everything is becoming more expensive in Nigeria,” she said.

Nkem said although customers still visited her outlet, the quantity they purchased had reduced considerably because of declining purchasing power.

“Customers are coming, but not like before, because money is not circulating. Gas prices are no longer stable. A supplier can increase the price at any time, and this affects both retailers and consumers,” she added.

He disclosed that while some areas sold cooking gas for as high as N2,000 per kilogramme, others charged between N1,800 and N1,900, while her outlet sold at N1,700.

The development, however, appears to be boosting the charcoal business as more households turn to alternative cooking fuels.

A charcoal dealer, who requested anonymity, admitted that patronage had increased significantly in recently following the rising cost of cooking gas and kerosene.

According to him,”Many people who can no longer afford cooking gas are now buying charcoal, and this has led to increased patronage,”