TheCable

A recent hike in the price of cooking gas has attracted widespread condemnation from Lagosians.

A 12.5kg cylinder, which previously sold for N3,500, now goes for N4,500 in most parts of the the state.

Users of the commodity were irked by the hike, saying it was arbitrary and thoughtless.

Rebecca Aleshinloye, a resident of Surulere, alleged that gas sellers annually exploit users by increasing price of the product during festive periods.

“I filled my cylinder with gas at N3, 500 in December, but surprisingly I was told the price had risen to N4,500,” she said.

“In annoyance, I went to a gas plant inside a filling station, thinking that it would be cheaper, but was told they me to buy at N5,000.

“I had no choice, but to go back to the first gas plant to fill my cylinder. This practice of gas sellers is highly unfair to users considering the economic situation in the country.

“I appeal to the relevant regulatory agencies to halt this practice by monitoring and checking the excesses of the sellers.”

Ben Nwabueze, a retailer at Ikorodu, said the hike was as a result of a local problem, and would phase out as more plants restock the product.

“Yearly, because of the heavy cooking that takes place during Christmas period, there is usually high demand for gas,” he said.

“We try to ration it and sometimes increase price a little because we cannot restock till after the break when loading starts at the depot.

“More so, it will still take some days before the product circulates, thereby forcing reduction in the price.”