•FCT residents return to forests for firewood as gas, kerosene prices soarbites harder
From Charity Nwakaudu, Abuja
With the worsening economic austerity, Abuja residents are tweaking their lifestyles to fit into the harsh reality. They are gradually moving from gas cookers and kerosene stoves to charcoal stoves, being the cheapest means of cooking.
Majority of suburban dwellers can no longer afford kerosene at over N1,000 a litre, neither can they afford to use gas at N1,300/kg. So, they have returned to the forests to fetch firewood. A portion of it is used domestically and the other is converted to charcoal and sold to city dwellers.
Residents told Daily Sun that all the song and dance about climate change and the need to preserve nature are pure bunkum, as they must survive first before saving nature.
Safiya Umar, a housewife, said: “Who is more important, me or nature? Me, of course. I can’t afford gas or kerosene any more. I’m back to the old way of sourcing energy to cook.
That is firewood. I fetch some in Bwari here for my family and sell the rest as charcoal. Let no one preach to me about climate change. My life has also changed.”
Cletus Ibeh lamented: “Diesel, petrol, gas and kerosene are all costly fuels. They are not for the poor any more. Kerosene used to be but no anymore. The only source of energy for cooking is firewood as far as the poor is concerned. Now, you’re saying environmental degradation and climate change. Funny. I can’t die to save nature.”
Daily Sun’s findings show that as cooking gas and kerosene prices skyrocket, there is also an astronomical rise in the demand for charcoal stoves and grills. Many residents fear that the prices of charcoal and charcoal stoves may soon be out of the reach of the common man and ultimately worsen the energy insufficiency nightmare.
However, some residents confessed that they now seek alternatives in cheaper stoves for cooking while others said they use both to manage time and cost.
Florence Aka, a businesswoman in Jabi: “I have a six kg gas cylinder that takes me almost a month before refilling, though I alternate with electric stove. But with the recent development as regards high electric tariff and cost of gas, I have switched to charcoal stove.
“I cannot fill six kg for almost N7000. This six kg does not even last up to three weeks now. More like the content evaporates faster than the heat it brings.”
A charcoal dealer, Christabel Ugwu, said the wails of poverty in Abuja have reached a crescendo: “More residents are dumping gas and kerosene for charcoal due to the hike in the price of cooking gas.
“The demand for charcoal has really increased due to the hike in prices of cooking gas and kerosene. Even those of us who supply charcoal have the challenge bringing it down here to sell because we spend so much on transportation and levies.
“Although this is a profitable business for me regardless, I, however, appeal to government to bring down the prices of cooking fuels, to reduce the hardship Nigerians are going through.”
Evelyn Ameh said though there are health challenges attached to charcoal stove and firewood, most women in the FCT have returned to the traditional means of cooking due to the hike in cost of cooking fuel:
“Many women in Abuja now cannot do without charcoal stove because that is the only cheap source of cooking they can afford.
”Now, the situation is further worsened by the recent scarcity and soaring prices of cooking gas, which has pushed many households back to the forest in search of firewood and use of charcoal.
“Most families do their main cooking on charcoal stove while they buy little quantity of cooking gas for warming of food and bathing water for the children in the morning before going to school.
“Though the charcoal itself is not even cheap but manageable because you can get the one of at least N200. A bag of charcoal is now sold for about N7,000 against N3,500 it was earlier in the year.”
Similarly, a restaurateur, Miss Agatha Maxwell, said: “A kg of cooking gas is now N1,150. I need not less than six kg for the house. It will not even take us through three weeks.
“So buying a bag of charcoal and gathering firewood from building sites has been a bit more effective for us. We manage that better.”
Joyce Patti: “Since the introduction of the new price of cooking gas, I quietly moved to my charcoal stove. I am even planning to switch to firewood. The charcoal is also becoming expensive.”
Henge Terfa, a cooking gas dealer in Kubwa, said: “Since November 1, 2023, when they introduced this new price of N1,100 per kg, business has been so slow. Most residents now alternate with charcoal. Hardly you see one buying full cylinder because of the cost.”
Another dealer, Chidi Ike, confessed patronage has dropped: “These days, most residents buy cooking gas just for emergency. They have all moved to charcoal stove due to the economic situation.
“There are different types of charcoal stove that one can use without inhaling smoke. It has been modernised. Though this charcoal system is not that cheap but it is better compared to gas and kerosene.
“Charcoal stove is what is mostly used in my houses though I work in this place because I can’t afford to fill 12.5 kg for N13,000 plus. It is terrible. This is just for cooking fuel, you haven’t thought about what to cook. Government should help us and look into this matter. Nigerians are losing their sanity to hardship.”