PUNCH
Nigerians, especially at the grassroots, have been urged not to resort to the use of firewood as a result of the economic hardship and recent hike in the process of cooking gas.
The warning came from researchers and climate change advocates at a programme held in Abuja on Tuesday to discuss ‘Maximising energy transition opportunities in Nigeria.’
The concern comes in the wake of the price hike of Liquefied Petroleum Gas, also known as cooking gas, from N1,350 to N1,500/kg.
The PUNCH also reported that the prices of cooking gas peaked at N1,500/kg in some retail outlets in Ogun and Lagos States as of Sunday with the average price for refilling a 12.5kg cylinder of cooking gas in Abuja rising by 41.6 per cent to N17,000 in different areas.
Reacting, the Director for Partnership and Development, Shehu Yar’Adua Foundation, Amara Nwamkpa, admitted that the latest development could force some Nigerians to consider resorting to the use of firewood for cooking.
Nwamkpa, however, urged Nigerians not to be hasty in their decision to abandon cooking gas for firewood because of exposure to smoke and its health implications.
The researcher added that at a time when the world is aiming toward an energy transition occasioned by climate change, Nigerians should start considering the option of renewable energy and clean cooking.
