By Edmund Asaar
Some residents of Makurdi, the Benue State capital have decried the increasing cost of Liquefied Petroleum Gas known as cooking gas and appealed for urgent intervention measures by the Government.
Those who spoke to our correspondent lamented that the hike in the price of the commodity has made life more difficult for them and members of their families.
A user of the product Sewuese Jam, of behind Catholic Youth Center along George Akume way said despite the hike in the price, she still patronises the product because it is more economical and readily available and makes cooking easier for her.
On his part a resident of Bem Tseen Street in Makurdi, Otokpa Ogenyi, said the hygienic nature and its non-health complications compared to firewood and other means of cooking left him with no choice than to continue using it even though the price has increased.
Commenting, an attendant at a gas refilling plant along old Otukpo Road Ogechukwu Ezekwesili, said even though people are still patronising the product, the patronage was low compared to when it was sold at lesser price.
According to her, some people who were buying the product in large quantity now purchase in small quantity due to prevailing economic situation.
Others who decried the situation including Anyam Akusa of George Akume Way, Orngu Solomon of Kanshio and Elvis Akunda of Tse- Orkuma village all in Makurdi said they have resorted to the use of firewood, charcoal and sawdust because of the hike in prices of cooking gas.
Correspondent who monitored the situation at some gas refilling plants reports that the price of a kilogram of cooking gas is currently sold for One Thousand Four hundred Naira as against the nine hundred naira it was sold for.
