Cooking Gas: Reps call for intervention to halt hike in prices

The House of Representatives has resolved to liaise with the executive to halt the rising price of cooking gas.

Following a motion moved by Afolabi Rasheed who represents Odo Otin/Ifelodun/Boripe federal constituency on Thursday, the House mandated its committee on gas resources to liaise with the Minister of Petroleum Resources (State) Timipriye Sylva to profer a solution.

In his motion, the lawmaker raised an alarm of the persistent increase in prices of cooking gas. He said the increment has added to other challenges like insecurity, extreme poverty, high cost of food and essential consumables.

He noted 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.”

According to Mr Rasheed, the hike could be linked to the increment in the Value Added Tax rate.

It would be recalled that VAT was increased from 5% to 7.5%.

“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 said.

The House, therefore, resolved that government should develop effective mechanisms and explore different mitigation options to cushion the effect of persistent rise in the price of LNG on the common citizens.