Some Abuja residents are now using firewood and charcoal for cooking following the astronomical increase in the price of kerosene and cooking gas.

A survey by the News Agency of Nigeria, NAN, in Abuja metropolis on Wednesday revealed that residents resorted to seeking other options because they could not afford the cost of kerosene and cooking gas.

Some residents have abandoned their gas cookers and opted for charcoal pots, whose prices have also been increased as a result of high demand.

A 12.5kg of gas initially sold for between N3,500 and N4,000 now goes for N6000 to N7000, while 5kg initially sold for between N1,700 and N1800 now goes for N3000.

Also, the price of kerosene per litre has risen to as much as N400 per litre in many markets and other retailers’ outlets.

A resident of Gwagwalada, Juliet Uzoagba, said that with the high price of gas, she could no longer afford the product, adding that she had opted for the use of coal.

She said that she has a large family and cannot cope with buying the gas at N7, 000 which would not last for 2 months.

“I cannot cope with the recent price of gas; the product keeps increasing on daily basis. I have resorted to the use of charcoal and firewood.

“I have enough space in my compound where I can use them. Although it is not convenient for me, I have to manage in order to attend to other family needs’’ she said.

Mr Nelson Odega, a civil servant, said that since January, he has moved from the use of gas to charcoal as a result of increase in price of the product.

He said that initially he was using gas and electric cooker but with the poor state of electricity in the county, he had no choice but to resort to the use of charcoal.

Odega also complained that the price of charcoal is gradually increasing as a result of high demand for the product by the residents.

Mrs Maryam Abubakar, a house wife, said that the economy of the country had pushed her to the use of charcoal which she would not ordinarily ever think of using.

She lamented the time and energy spent in making the charcoal, adding that it was not convenient and healthy for her.

“I do not like the use of charcoal; it is too stressful and can make the house dirty. But I have no choice because of the economic situation in the county.

“I pray things get better; life has become so hard for many people in recent times. I pray our Government look at the sufferings of the masses and find a lasting solution to it,” she said.

Meanwhile, a check on the price of charcoal shows that the price is still very high as result of high demand.

Mr Pius Ofoegbu, who sells dried fish, said that the price of charcoal has increased tremendously compared to what it was in 2016.

He complained that the increase in the price of charcoal had affected the price of his commodity.

Ofoegbu said that a bag of charcoal which was sold for between N1400 and N1500 as at 2016 now sells above N2, 500.

NAN