The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Cooking Gas

  • Kerosene price may go up over cooking gas scarcity

    The scarcity of Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) (cooking gas), a fallout of the disagreement between Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) and Nigerian Liquified and Natural Gas (NLNG) may push up the price of kerosine.

    The President, Nigerian LPGas Association (NLPGA), Dayo Adeshina, said the face-off between the two government agencies was grounding activities, especially in the LPG sub-sector.

    He said if the scarcity continued it may result in the price of kerosene going up to N250 per litre. The demand for kerosene, he said, increased because of the scarcity of LPG.

    “We may not appreciate the enormity of the situation we have on our hands now, until we get to a time the problem gets out of hand. The truth is that by the time LPG depots are dried up, consumers of cooking gas will have no other option than to depend on kerosene for their cooking. So, as the demand for the product increases, the price of the product will go up, too, according to the law of demand.

    “So, with the product being sold currently at N130, consumers may yet pay as much as N250 or more for a litre as the current scarcity of cooking bites harder.”

    He said the three LPG terminals in Lagos, including PPMC, Navgas and NIPCo, had dried up as the vessel, Gaz Providence, which was to supply them the product, has been detained and prevented from berthing.

    Adeshina said the development was not healthy for the industry and the economy as the crisis, if not addressed, may worsen the scarcity even after the vessel is released and allowed to discharge its content.

    “Just as we seek the immediate release of Gaz Providence, we will also like to implore the government to intervene so that the two warring parties can sheathe their sword in the interest of the country. This is because the vessel being detained is a 9,000 tonnes capacity one, despite the monthly consumption being over 12,000 tonnes.

    “So, what this means is that even if the vessel is released today, it would only be able to meet consumption for no more than one month. By this it means that if the standoff between NIMASA and NLNG is not resolved before then, we may be going from a bad-to- worse situation.

    Adeshina said the call for the release of the vessel was not borne out of sentiments but sound reasoning as the owners of the vessel had paid necessary fees.

    “This is not about taking sides between the two parties, but about following sound logic.We believe nothing stops NIMASA from releasing the vessel even while it pursues its case with NLNG.This is because the owners of the vessel have paid all statutory fees and so should be allow to discharge the contents of the vessel for onward supply to terminals and depots,” he said.

  • Using Cooking Gas will reduce poverty, hunger in Nigeria

    A downstream oil sector company, the Nigerian Independent Petroleum Company (NIPCO) Plc., has said that greater utilisation of cooking gas locally would  reduce poverty and hunger in the country.

    This was contained in a statement issued and signed by Alhaji Lawal Taofeeq, Head, Corporate Affairs and Communications of NIPCO, and made available to newsmen on Monday in Lagos.

    “Our gas cylinders in this country are of different sizes and are to the delight of potential users which can go a long way in reducing the suffering of poor Nigerians.

    “The 12.5kg , 6kg and 3kg gas cylinders with their accessories; the gas stoves locally made here are designed with the ultimate objective of improving access to cooking gas to the populace,“ he said.

    He said that NIPCO’s vision was to provide “a more pocket friendly cylinder“ and gas stove that could be affordable, especially to those in the low income bracket and petty traders.