Okitipupa residents groan over scarcity of kerosene

Residents of Okitipupa in Ondo State have continued to lament the high cost of kerosene and cooking gas as scarcity of the products bite harder.

The commodities have virtually disappeared from filling stations and depots.

The kerosene, which formerly sold at N300 per litre, now costs between N400 and N450 per 75cl bottle.

Similarly, a 12.5Kg cylinder of cooking gas, which formerly sold at N3, 500 is now between N4, 500 and N5, 000.

A check by NAN at some filling stations and gas depots in Okitipupa revealed that the commodities are not available.

Residents have therefore resorted to other options like using charcoal and firewood to meet their domestic cooking rather than buying the products at exorbitant prices.

Some residents, who spoke with NAN, said that the high cost of the commodities was worrisome.

They appealed to government to intervene in the matter as life was becoming unbearable for the masses.

Mrs Rukayat Olansile, a civil servant told NAN that the products were needed daily to prepare food but the high cost of gas was no longer within her reach.

“The masses are suffering; life is becoming unbearable because food is part of our existence while prices of gas and kerosene have gone up beyond our reach,’’ Olansile said.

Mrs Kemisola Ajayi, a house wife told NAN that high cost of kerosene, which was her daily use for cooking, had made her to resort to the use of fire woods.

“Even at high prices, the kerosene dry faster than usual when you light the stove.

“As for me, I will continue to use fire woods until the price comes down,’’ Ajayi said.

Mr Saliu Alabi, an artisan, appealed to the government to step into the scarcity of kerosene and cooking gas, alleging that as some retailers were hoarding the commodities.

“I pay more to get gas now for my family and we no longer get work from our customers like before.

“I am appealing to government to help we masses,’’ Alabi said.

Also, Mr Bola Anjorin, a filling station manager, said that the commodities haD become scarce in most of the filling station since last year.

Anjorin said that the commodities were not available at the Ore depot, where the filling stations lift them.

Mr Gabriel Godwin, a cooking gas retailer ascribed the high prices of cooking gas to the long Christmas and New Year holidays, which made it difficult for retailers to lift the commodity.

He said that the scarcity had led to the hike in prices of the commodity.

Godwin, however, expressed hope that things would normalise in few weeks.