Traders and residents in Masaka, Nasarawa State on Saturday lamented the continued rise in the cost of charcoal and firewood.

The traders, in separate interviews on Sunday in Abuja, described the situation as worrisome.

Rose Odoh, one of the traders, said that it takes a huge amount of money to purchase the item yet, the profit made from the sale was very minimal.

She said: “I buy a bag for N4,000, yet I only make a profit of N800 from each bag.

“My supplier too is complaining about the cost of transporting the items down to us from the state of production.

“It has not been funny, even if you increase the retail price, you might not make that much profit because there’s no money in the country, people are complaining and looking for ease way out.”

Similarly, Rita Agabga, who sells roasted corn in Masaka, said it has not been easy buying charcoal at high cost and paying so much on transportation.

Mrs Agabga said that paying so much in a business that gives little profit was a challenge at the moment and would need the intervention of the government.

She said: “We need the government to intervene in any measure that will bring succour to the people.”

On her part, Comfort Joshua, a firewood seller, said trading in firewood now was more challenging, compared to previous years.

Mrs Joshua, explaining that the cost in supplying the item was now more expensive, also added that a bunch of the item now costs double the price of a bunch in 2022.

She also attributed the situation to the increase in the fuel price, which she said, had influenced the cost of transportation and other goods and services in the country.

The situation, she added, has been challenging for both sellers and buyers and had made it difficult for people to choose a cheap method of cooking fuel.

She also urged the federal government to take more measures to further ease the sufferings of Nigerians.

(NAN)