Members of the House of Representatives, on Thursday, called on Federal Government to urgently check the persistent increase in the price of cooking gas otherwise known as Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG).
The lawmakers gave the charge during the debate on a motion sponsored by Hon Afolabi Olalekan Rasheed, who expressed displeasure over the impact of the hike in the price of LNG across the federation.
In his lead debate, Hon Rasheed who called for the House intervention observed that “Nigerians have been facing various challenges including insecurity, extreme poverty, high cost of food and essential consumables and, most recently, a persistent rise in the price of cooking gas.
“The House also notes that cooking gas is a basic need for many Nigerians, especially those living in the urban and semi-urban areas, who use it daily for preparation of meals.
“The House is concerned that Nigeria, which is ranked 9th among the countries in the world with the highest reservoir of gas resources with about 207 trillion standard cubits’ feet as of 2019, would subject its citizens to such hardship arising from the high cost of cooking gas.
“The House is also concerned that a kilogram of gas which was initially sold for three hundred naira is now sold within the range of seven hundred to eight hundred and fifty naira, which has further plunged Nigerians into untold hardship as such basic necessity is increasingly becoming unaffordable.
“The House is aware that the hike in the price of the product was blamed by marketers on the recently introduced import charges and Value Added Tax (VAT) by the Federal Government, whereas in other countries, the government actively protects and cushions the impact of rising gas price on vulnerable citizens.
“The House is concerned that a prolonged increase in the prices of essential items especially during the Yuletide season could have grave social consequences as it could worsen the economic hardship, thus forcing people into resorting to crime and other vices in order to survive,” he noted.
To this end, the House tasked Federal Government to be proactive by developing effective mechanisms and explore different mitigation options to cushion the effect of persistent rising in the price of LNG on the common citizens, the House mandated its Committee on Gas Resources to liaise with the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources to proffer a lasting solution to the increase in the price of Cooking Gas.
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