From Umar Danladi Ado, Sokoto
The recent surge in price of cooking gas has forced many residents in Sokoto to stop using the substance for inability to afford it.
Cooking gas is one of the modern and fastest alternative means of cooking used to replace the traditional fire wood.
It is considered the fastest with no risk of air or environmental pollution that can be damaging to human health.
However, investigation reveals that the population of cooking gas users in the caliphate has drastically reduced as most of them have resorted to the use of fire wood in cooking.
The development has hitherto, brought a dramatic increase in the price of firewood in the Sokoto metropolis due to high demand thus its scarcity amidst the ban placed on vehicles from carrying firewood from the forest by the state government.
Lamenting over the hike in the price of cooking gas, Haruna Mande, a household affected by the surge said ” I had since resorted to firewood as an alternative to prepare meals in the house.
” In fact, my family use to find it easier using cooking gas but now, the situation is worrisome due to the hike which we now use firewood as alternative.
” We are appealing to the government to look into the difficult moment by coming up with alternative decision that will ease the situation for the benefit of the poor majority.
” I have no option than to go for fire wood for its availability and affordability , but the situation has dramatically changed as it is becoming more scarce costly to use also”, Mande said.
He observed that the sudden stoppage of using cooking gas has subjected his family and many others on using firewood to various health hazards due to air and environmental pollution unlike cooking gas and electric cooker.
