Ebonyi residents switch to charcoal amid rising cooking gas prices

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) correspondent who monitored the situation reports that many homes have shifted to some other alternatives such as sawdust, firewood and charcoal as prices of cooking gas continue to rise.

NAN reports that the price of a kilogramme (kg) of cooking gas is currently selling for between ₦1,250 and ₦1,300 in Abakaliki, Ebonyi capital. In separate interviews in Abakaliki on Thursday, they said their businesses had boomed since cooking gas prices increased, especially between January and February.

A charcoal seller in the Kpirikpiri market, Vivian Chukwu, said a sack of charcoal price had risen from ₦6,000 sold in December 2023 to ₦7, 500 now.

“We are witnessing continued patronage by the day. We have measurements ranging from ₦300, ₦400, ₦500 to ₦1,000 and we also sell in quantity.

“Yes, our prices have changed; it was relatively cheap in December, but now the cost is no longer the same due to high patronage caused by the high cost of cooking gas.

“Well, I do not think I can venture into another business. This is a very profitable business and people don’t know about it," she said.

On the cost of LPG, Chukwu decried the ugly trend and noted that it was biting on every home.

“I urge the government to intervene. The suffering is becoming too much for everyone and the salary is still the same.

“It is very unfair increasing cooking gas when we are still battling to cope with the hardship caused by the removal of the fuel subsidy,” she stated.

Chinwe Okoro, a caterer told NAN that she had resorted to the use of charcoal for her cooking. Okoro said it had been difficult to keep up with the steady increase in the price of the cooking gas.

“Charcoal is cheaper and it has helped me in my business. I am no more spending my money on gas,” she stressed.

Okoro further urged the federal government to come up with plans and a policy to ensure that the price of gas was affordable to the common man. An Abakaliki-based Ahmed Aliyu said his family had moved to charcoal, which he could easily acquire with a small amount of money.

“I keep saying it, this is not the time to increase the cooking gas, and the citizens are yet to recover from the hardship occasioned by the removal of the fuel subsidy.

“It is sad that the cost of cooking gas keeps increasing almost on a daily basis and everyone is quiet and cost of living is becoming worrisome every day,” Aliyu stated.

On a hike in cooking gas, a Pump Attendant at a gas station, who spoke on the ground of anonymity, said he could not ascertain the actual cause for the increase. He explained that the increase was also affecting the business as the station continued to record low patronage.

“Many of our customers now resort to using firewood and charcoal for cooking. This is serious.

“We have been witnessing changes in price every day. Someday, it will even be twice depending on the market cost,” he added.