Domestic Gas, Charcoal Business Boom In Delta

By NDIDI ONYEKPE/FAVOUR NZEI

DOMESTIC gas sellers in Delta state have continued to record increase in the sales of the product following the increase in the price of kerosene.

A survey recently conducted by The POINTER in Asaba, the state capital, revealed that most people have resorted to the use of gas cooker for its economic and durable advantages it has over stove which uses kerosene.

Our correspondents, who sampled the views of domestic gas dealers in separate interview, impeccably gathered that the dealers are enjoying robust patronage from customers owing to the increase in the demand of the product following the hike in the price of kerosene.

The survey further revealed that most households in the state who hitherto use kerosene stove for cooking their meals have either resorted to the use of domestic gas cookers or fire woods.

Mr. Chucks ujuh, is a gas cooker vendor along Nnebisi Road in the state capital he told our Business crew that there has been appreciable increase in the demand for domestic gas compared to before.

He said, “Until recently people rarely patronize us because few people make use of gas as most people prefer stove to gas cooker. But with the recent trend in the price of kerosene, most people now choose to use gas cooker which has, in no small measure, boost our sales”.

Similarly, another dealer, Harrison Ikenna said that he has been enjoying appreciable sales now unlike what was obtainable before, saying that he now refills between 50-60kg of gas cylinders daily as against the 20-30kg he used to fill before the boost.

He further stated that prices of selling gas cookers have also been affected by the increase, adding that last year when he started the business that 5kg and 10kg gas cylinder was sold for 2500 and 4000 naira respectively, but this recent development has seen the prices of the above mentioned sizes of cylinder skyrocketing to 3000 and 5000 respectively.

This development is not without serious implication on the end users. In view of this, Mrs. Vivian Isichei one of the users of gas cooker said that increase of the price of kerosene compelled her into making use of gas cooker, saying that even as there is little increase in the price of gas she still prefers gas cooker to stove for the innumerable advantages it has over stove.

Meantime, other respondents who perhaps could not afford the alternative domestic gas cookers, have embraced the use of charcoals in preparing their meals.