NALPGAM urges FG to tackle rising cost of cooking gas

The Nigerian Association of Liquefied Petroleum Gas Marketers (NALPGAM) has urged the Federal Government to intervene in the soaring price of cooking gas in the country, warning that it could affect the National Gas Expansion Programme and the health of the citizens.

The association made this appeal in a letter addressed to the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Timipre Sylva, and copied to the Group Managing Director of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), Mele Kyari.

The letter, signed by the National President of NALPGAM, Abideen Olatunbosun, and the Executive Secretary, Bassey Essien, stated that the price of cooking gas had increased by over 100 percent in the last six months, making it unaffordable for many Nigerians.

The letter read in part: “We write to bring to your attention the galloping hike in the prices of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG), also known as cooking gas, across the country and solicit your urgent intervention to arrest the situation.

“As an association, we are deeply concerned about the effect of the price increase on the masses, especially the low-income earners who are the target beneficiaries of the government’s National Gas Expansion Programme, which is aimed at deepening gas utilisation in Nigeria.

“We are also worried about the environmental and health implications of the price hike, as some users of cooking gas may be forced to revert to the use of kerosene and firewood, which have negative impacts on the environment and human health.”

The association attributed the price hike to the high cost of importing cooking gas as well as the low allocation of domestic gas by Nigeria Liquefied Natural Gas Company Limited (NLNG) to the local market.

The association therefore called on the Federal Government to increase the domestic allocation of gas by the NLNG and also find ways to reduce the cost of importing gas.

The association expressed its readiness to work with the government and other stakeholders to ensure the availability and affordability of cooking gas for all Nigerians.