How Residents are Turning to Charcoal and Firewood as Cooking Gas Hits N1,000 Per Kg

The soaring cost of Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG), also known as cooking gas, has forced many families in Bauchi State and other parts of Nigeria to switch to alternative sources of fuel for cooking.

According to a recent investigation by Newsflash Nigeria, charcoal and firewood are becoming more popular in urban areas, despite the environmental and health risks they pose.

Many residents blame the Federal Government for the high price of cooking gas, which they say is unaffordable for the average person.

Rauf Oyewole, a resident in Gwallameji, expressed his worries, saying, “The government needs to urgently address the price of cooking gas in order to protect our environment.

“The consequences will be severe for both animals and humans. Eventually, the same government will have to depend on foreign loans to fight the effects of climate change.

“This trend is worsening desertification in semi-arid regions like Bauchi State. Most of the low-income residents are already resorting to cutting down trees.”

Olaide Saheed, another resident, was shocked by the surge in cooking gas prices. He said, “I’m not the only one affected; everyone around me is. It’s a dire and pitiful situation for the common man.

“I mean, we used to buy it for N800, and at one point, it dropped to N780, but now it’s N1,000. Honestly speaking, I’ve decided to buy a charcoal stove and use charcoal for all my cooking needs at home.

“We’re temporarily abandoning the use of cooking gas until the prices come down. Thankfully, I also have an electric cooker at home, so whenever there’s power supply, we’ll make use of that.”

Maria Daniel, a student at Abubakar Tafawa-Balewa University (ATBU), also complained that she has stopped using cooking gas. “I’m just a student, how much is my pocket money? I can’t afford to buy gas at N1,000 per kg. The government really needs to intervene because life is becoming unbearable for students here,” she pleaded.

Newsflash Nigeria also observed that some gas depots in Bauchi metropolis have closed down due to the rise in LPG prices. A depot manager, who preferred to remain anonymous, told our reporter that the high exchange rate of the dollar is responsible for the price hike.

He explained, “LPG is imported, and as the dollar’s exchange rate has skyrocketed, it has directly affected the price. What we buy is what we sell, and the demand for the commodity has significantly decreased as people have found alternatives.”

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