Kerosene Scarcity Bites Harder

Kerosene has remained scarce in Lagos despite the assurances from the Minister of Petroleum Resources, Mrs Diezani Alison-Madueke, that the matter would be looked into.

The scarcity had led to a hike in the price of the fuel.

A check by the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) showed that most filling stations in the metropolis did not have the fuel, while those with stock now sell a litre of kerosene for between N140 and N150, as against the recommended N50 a litre.

Consumers, who spoke with NAN, expressed worries that kerosene had continued to be scarce despite the many promises by the government to ensure adequate supply.

A mother of three, Mrs Ajoke Adebayo, told NAN that the scarcity had forced her to reduce cooking from thrice to twice daily.

“I cannot afford to cook three times a day because the cost of kerosene is currently higher than the cost of foodstuff,” she said.

Another housewife, Mrs Ngozi Emeka, said that the impact of the kerosene scarcity had compounded the economic hardship faced by her family.

“I am considering relocating to the village with my two children, where we can use firewood and manage our lives, while my husband sends us upkeep money,” she said.

Another kerosene user, Mr Anthony Nweke, expressed disappointment that the Federal Government had yet to address the problem.

Nweke, a bachelor, said that he was finding it difficult to feed himself as he spent a large percentage of his little earnings on food and kerosene.

A petrol attendant, who spoke to NAN on the condition of anonymity, blamed the high cost of kerosene on its scarcity.

“We sell according to how we buy,” she said.

NAN reports that the scarcity of the fuel had forced many Nigerians to resort to the use of firewood and charcoal for cooking, with subsequent increase in the prices of both fuels.

A bundle of firewood now sells for N150, up from the previous N60, while a bag of charcoal now costs N1,400 from the N500 it was sold in the past.

A charcoal seller, Mrs Abosede Olatunde, told NAN that she decided to hike her price due to increased patronage.

“The patronage is high and this is an opportunity for firewood and charcoal sellers to make money because once the price of kerosene drops, our patronage will also drop,” she said.