Olatunbosun Oyintiloye, a prominent member of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Osun State, has appealed to President Bola Tunubu to urgently address the escalating cost of Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG), also known as cooking gas, in the country. Speaking with journalists in Osogbo on Sunday, Oyintiloye expressed concern that the high cost of cooking gas was becoming unaffordable for the average citizen.
Oyintiloye pointed out that despite the announcement made by Ekperikpe Ekpo, the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources (Gas), on February 22, instructing LPG producers to cease exports of the commodity, the decision had not led to any noticeable decrease in local prices. He suspects that the persistent rise in prices might be due to LPG producers covertly exporting the products.
He said, “It is alarming that the cost of refiling a 12.5kg of cylinder in many parts of the country now ranges between N17,500 and N18,000. As a result of these exorbitant prices, many LPG users who could not afford the price were gradually shifting to solid fuel like charcoal and firewood."
Oyintiloye warned that this shift to the use of charcoal and firewood could exacerbate climate change challenges and its adverse effects such as deforestation, desertification, and soil degradation that could lead to erosion. He also highlighted the health risks associated with the use of solid fuel, including air pollution and the emission of carbon monoxide, which can cause fatigue, headaches, confusion, and dizziness due to inadequate oxygen delivery to the brain.
The APC chieftain urged the president to drastically reduce the price of the product in the interest of the masses and to preserve the country’s forest and ecosystem. He insisted that while many Nigerians were struggling to find food, the means of cooking their food should not be made even more difficult for them.
He said, “I know Mr President has a listening ear and he will do something urgent about this matter. The announcement by the petroleum minister(state) on the ban on the exportation of the product is a good one, but it has not started having any positive effects on the masses. The fuel subsidy removal is biting hard on the people and electricity supply is not stable. All these are impacting negatively on Nigerians and solutions should be provided without further delay. All relevant and critical stakeholders must join hands with the president to tackle the challenges in the oil and gas industry.”