Let’s hear it clearly

This is the third editorial we are running on the runway cost of cooking gas, all making a strong case for government’s forceful intervention. The last one, “Still on cooking gas”, published September 9 2021, commended the government for deciding resolutely to “ do something” to address the concerns of millions of Nigerians who use cooking gas. 

Two months later, however, the government appears less resolute. Last Tuesday, it had no control over the rising prices of this essential consumable.

The Federal Government, Tuesday, declared it has no control over rising prices of cooking gas in the country. Explaining what was responsible for the rise in the prices of cooking gas and what the authorities were doing to address the situation, Timipre Sylva, Minister of State for Petroleum Resources,  said “the government has no control over the price increase and cannot subsidise the product because it is fully deregulated 

While stressing that gas prices are determined at the international market, the minister said government was doing everything possible to bring down the price, especially during the Yuletide. He said, “We must understand that cooking gas is not subsidised. It is already a deregulated commodity. So the price of cooking gas is not determined by government or by anybody in the industry. In fact, gas prices are determined internationally.

“And you all are aware that in Europe, today, gas prices have gone up. There was even a crisis in Europe relating to gas prices. So, the pricing of gas internationally affects also the price of gas in the country. These are the issues of balancing that the midstream and downstream regulatory authorities 

are handling. And I want to assure you that we are quite concerned. Mr. President also is very concerned. He is aware that the price of gas is high in the market, and we’re doing everything trying to see how we can bring down the price of gas especially as we approached the Yuletide.” 

This equivocation is not good. It is either something is being done or not. And what is that something? Let’s hear the government quite clearly. It is unacceptable that oil companies are flaring a lot of gas that can be converted to industrial and cooking gas. 

For reasons that are clear, the government has been shifting the deadline for ending gas flaring. Not only that there is not enough cooking to meet domestic demand, flaring pollutes the environment. It is one of the causes of climate change because it depletes the ozone layer that reduces the rate at which the earth gets warmed up. As it does so, water levels rise, leading to widespread flooding. This is why the government must stop shifting the end flaring post and get serious with the oil firms.