Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria shortly known as HURIWA have implored on the APC-led government to reduce the price of cooking gas to how they met it during PDP’s last tenure in 2015. The cooking gas also known as Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) have been on the spotlight in recent times due to its ever growing hike in price.

This started after 2015 when the APC took over power from PDP through the current president, ?ajor General Muhammadu Buhari in May 2015.

The Civil rights advocacy group made the statement through its National Coordinator
Emmanuel Onwubiko. The statement was in reaction to the jubilation of many Nigerians across various social platforms over the marginal reduction of cooking gas price.

The National Coordinator said that it was sad and worrying to see how Nigerians rejoiced over a slight reduction in price of cooking gas having fully known the cost of LPG before the current government came into power.

The grouped further stressed that the price of cooking gas as confirmed by the “Punch” has reduced from N8,800 to around N8400 and N8200 for 12.5kg. Further drop in the price of LPG was recorded on Thursday where some stores sold it for as low as N7,800.

Besides, the cost of cooking gas has increased exponentially; recording above 200% hike in cost. This has pushed many Nigerians out of business and dosn’t mean well for the country.

Here is the statement made by Emmanuel Onwubiko,

“The failure of the relevant governmental bodies to regulate the pricing of gas assets in Nigeria is a recipe for encouraging the ballooning poverty situations that we have witnessed since 2015 that President Muhammadu Buhari has operated economic policy frameworks devoid of progressive mechanisms.”

“Government lacks the requisite political will, sincerity of purpose and commitments to do the needful to ensure that millions of homes in Nigeria are not subjected to economic ordeals just so they can get gas to power the preparations of their foods and other essential services domestically and otherwise.”

“High costs of gas has led to the closure of many restaurants and small businesses thereby increasing unemployment rates in Nigeria. The high cost of gas has affected the green environment and this shows that this government is hypocritical when it mouths her readiness to take remedial steps to halt the consequences of climate change.”

“All those international trips costing the taxpayers billions of naira by the President and retinue of ministers to attend climate change-related global summits without taking local steps to check unaffordable costs of gas resources in Nigeria is cosmetic and hypocritical.”

“The government derives satisfaction in imposing outrageous and satanic economic policies on Nigerians. This is even why the government has decided to tax us more for drinking soft drinks even when wives of politically exposed officials buy champagnes and expensive wines at public costs for their own enjoyment in their cocoons.”