Cabal behind high cost of cooking gas – Marketers

Cabal behind high cost of cooking gas – Marketers

Rising cost of cooking gas is artificial, says Nigerian Association of Liquefied Petroleum Gas Marketers.

Indeed, the association accused cabals among the terminal operators of being responsible for the incessantly increase in the price of cooking gas in the country.

The marketers led by the association’s president, Oladapo Olatunbosun, made the accusation when they visited the Senate on Monday in Abuja.

Olatunbosun said, “The cabals are making it difficult for the average Nigerian to have access to gas. As of today, gas is sold by these terminal owners for N16.8 million for 20 metric tonnes whereas NNLG sells to them for a little bit less than N9 million.

“Some of them are NAVGas, NIPCOPLC, Matrix Energy Ltd, Prudent Energy Ltd, Shafa Energy, Techno Gas, StockGap Ltd, Mobil, Pan Ocean Limited, NNPC, OLogbo, NSPC Apapa, SHELL, Dozzy LPG terminal.”

“When people go to fill their gas today, the least they get is N1,200 per kilogramme – imagine the pains of Nigerians. In the Nigeria of today, can a student or menial worker afford to cook a cup of beans with a N1,200 cost of gas?” he asked.

The marketers said Nigerians had no reason to buy gas at such a price.

Olatunbosun said, “Even countries like Cote d’Ivoire, Ghana and the rest are no match to Nigerians in terms of gas production but the prices of gas in Nigeria is cheaper in those countries that here where we are the second largest producer of the gas production in Africa after Algeria, yet our people cannot afford to cook with gas.

“We produce gas more than we import. In fact, the proportion imported is so insignificant, but these cabals have refused to allow Nigerians to enjoy the dividends of this production and the efforts put in by the government.”

The marketers alleged that the terminal operators usually gave forex as one of the reasons for the increase in the prices of gas whereas the transactions were done purely in naira.

Olatunbosun said, “These cabals have also made the practice of hiding behind forex but the question is does NNLG get paid in dollars? No. All the transactions are completed in naira. What is the role of forex in this situation? Where is the import evidence?”

Cabal behind high cost of cooking gas – Marketers