Cooking gas dealers in Pankshin, Plateau, are struggling with low patronage amid the current price hike. Some managers of gas plants in the area, who spoke in separate interviews on Friday, attributed the low patronage to an increase in the product’s price.

Charles Amedu, manager of the JEFF Gas plant, said the recent gas price increase was affecting not only consumers but also their business.

“Products that should take us one week to sell now take about three to four weeks; even at the price of N1,700, customers are complaining of not having money. Usually, on a market day like this, the whole place will be filled with cylinders for refill; we hardly have time for rest. But as you can see, everywhere is dry,” Mr Amedu said.

According to him, if the situation persists, it could cost some of them their jobs because the company has bills to pay, and some gas retailers have temporarily halted their services.

“Unlike any hike in petrol, people don’t have any alternative; even if the price increases, people will still manage to buy. But in our own case, they switched to charcoal and firewood,” Mr Amedu added. “I am pleading with the government to reduce the price of cooking gas to help us remain in business and bring relief to the citizens as well.”

Raymond Dimlong, the manager of the HYCOPET Gas Plant, said sales had been poor lately due to the increase in cooking gas prices.

“You can see how empty the place is. In fact, so many people have now resorted to charcoal as an alternative cooking fuel due to rising gas prices.

“Many gas plants are shutting down due to low patronage. You can’t sink your capital into a business and pay workers’ salaries without many sales. Students were our major customers, but now we hardly see them; the price increase has led people to seek alternative cooking methods.

“I have been managing this business for years; I have never seen poor sales like this. You hardly see anyone coming to make a full refill irrespective of the size of the cylinder,” Mr Dimlong said.

Geoffrey Gowol, a gas retailer, said the increase in cooking gas prices would not allow his business to thrive.

“We normally buy our products from the gas plant and add our little interest to it. But since the price increased, I suspended the business for the time being. Nobody is willing to pay N1,900 for a kg; it took me time before I could sell the stock I was having, and I don’t want to take any risk and pain again,” Mr Gowol said.

He expressed belief that the increase in gas prices could send many people out of business.

“Now that the government is encouraging small businesses, this would be a setback to their target,” he added.

He therefore urged the government to intervene urgently to reduce gas prices and make it available, as it was a household product used in many Nigerian homes. According to him, the intervention will put them back in business and improve citizens’ lives.

The price of cooking gas has started to drop, with some filling plants in the Jos metropolis selling for N1400 to N1500 per kilogramme.

(NAN)