Cooking Gas: Develop mechanism to tackle persistent price – Reps tell FG

By Christiana Ekpa 

The House of Representatives on Thursday asked the Federal Government to develop effective mechanisms and explore different mitigation options to cushion the effect of persistent rise in the price of cooking gas on Nigerians.

The House mandated the Committee on Gas Resources to liaise with the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources to proffer a lasting solution to the problem.

 The resolutions followed a motion on the Urgent Need to Check the Persistent Increase in the Price of Liquefied Natural Gas (Cooking Gas) by Hon. Afolabi Olalekan Rasheed.

 The House noted that Nigerians have been facing various challenges including insecurity, extreme poverty, high cost of food and essential consumables and, most recently, a persistent rise in the price of cooking gas.

 It also noted that cooking gas is a basic need for many Nigerians, especially those living in the urban and semi urban areas who use it daily for preparation of meals.

 The House was concerned that Nigeria, which is ranked 9th among the countries in the world with the highest reservoir of gas resources with about 207 trillion standard cubits’ feet as of 2019, would subject its citizens to such hardship arising from high cost of cooking gas.

 The House was also concerned that a kilogramme of gas which was initially sold for N300 is now sold within the range of N700 to N850, which has further plunged Nigerians into untold hardship as such basic necessity is increasingly becoming unaffordable.

 The House said it was aware that the hike in the price of the product was blamed by marketers on the recently introduced import charges and Value Added Tax (VAT) by the Federal Government, whereas in other countries, the government actively protects and cushions the impact of rising gas price on vulnerable citizens.

 It was concerned that a prolonged increase in the prices of essential items especially during the Yuletide season could have grave social consequences as it could worsen the economic hardship, thus forcing people into resorting to crime and other vices in order to survive.

 The House also urged the Department of Petroleum Resources to immediately commence a raid on illegal liquefied petroleum gas stations across the country to safeguard lives and properties of the people and mandated its Committee on Gas to ensure compliance.

 These followed the adoption of a motion on the Need to Check Illegal Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) Stations Across the Country by Hon. Taiwo Oluga.

 The House noted that Department is responsible for ensuring that health, safety and environmental regulations in the oil industry conform to international best practices.

 The House was concerned that there is an avalanche of illegal marketers and gas outlets of Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) otherwise known as cooking gas on the streets in the Federal Capital Territory and other states of the Federation, which is in contravention of international health and safety standards.