Charcoal business booms in Ondo

Residents of Okitipupa in Ondo state now rely on charcoal for their daily domestic cooking as a rsult of the high cost of kerosene and cooking gas.

Kerosene, which sold at N300 per litre has gone up to between N400 and N450, while a 12.5Kg cylinder of cooking gas formerly at N3, 500 has skyrocketed to between N4.500 and N5,000.

A full sack of charcoal, lasting one and half months depending on the usage, has also increased from N1,500 to N2, 500 and N3,000.

Some of the charcoal sellers, who spoke with NAN, said the high cost of kerosene and cooking gas had turned to blessing in disguise.

They said many customers now patronise them and charcoal had gained popularity.

Bonike Usman, a charcoal seller who said roasted yam and plantain sellers patronised her, revealed that she had recorded high sale.

“I think the high cost of kerosene and gas is a blessing in disguise as I now sell about five bags per day, the same measure I sold in a week before,” she said.

Wulemotu Akande, another charcoal seller, also said she made lots of gain in the past two weeks because many people now trooped to her shop to purchase the item in different quantities.

“Food vendors are not left out in the rush for charcoal because they can no longer afford the prices of gas,”Akande said.

Wunmi Ashade, another charcoal seller, said high costs of kerosene and gas had suddenly given charcoal prominence.

“I knew people will rush to buy charcoal because it has happened many times, so I bought huge stock in December. I am making more profit now,” Ashade said.

Oluyemi Adegbemi, a food vendor, said charcoal is the best for cooking, and that it burns blue flame like gas.

“Charcoal burns blue flame like gas and it is better compared to fire wood which burns red flame and make pots to be black and dirty,” she said.

Adefemi Ikumawoyi, a resident, said he had to buy a bag of charcoal for his wife because he could no longer afford the high cost of kerosene.

He appealed to the federal government to take drastic step in ensuring the availability of kerosene and cooking gas in order to make life more meaningful for the masses.