Tina Amanda
An Energy Expert in Rivers state, Azubuike Azubuike, has blamed the outrageous price increase of Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) known as cooking gas on the importation of the product and dollar exchange rate.
Azubuike who is the immediate past Chairman, PENGASSAN Port Harcourt, while speaking to our correspondent, maintained that domestic gas prices will continue to rise, as long as gas marketers source the product abroad.
He urged the Nigerian Liquefied Natural Gas (NLNG) company to increase the production of domestic gas for local consumption.
“What we should understand is that the exchange rate is high, over fifty per cent of gas consumption in the country are imported and the gas is being priced in dollar. Recently, the devaluation of the naira has really affected goods and services in the nation so, cooking gas is not an exception.
“I do not think those that import has windows of accessing forex, so they source it for themselves and they sell at a higher price, this is what is causing the gas price increase.
“Gas producing companies should increase their domestic gas production check. The majority of the cooking being used are imported. What is NLNG doing, you can not import and determine the price.”
He urged the government to redouble efforts at strengthening the economy and reducing dollar dependence
“We need to tackle why the exchange rate is on the increase, why naira is being devalued, let’s get our refineries working, flood the market with petroleum products, then the price will crash. These are what I think could be done to have Petroleum products prices crash.”
Azubuike further said that consumers seeking other alternatives may not also be the solution as other fossil and solid fuels are not affordable and equally endanger the environment.
“With the environmental degradation we found ourselves in, especially in Rivers State where soot is a menace, using firewoods and adulterated kerosene DPK will cause more environmental damage.”
He, however, urged the populace to keep hoping for a better responsible government that will have passion for the masses.
