Sunday, 17 April 2011 00:00 .
Firewood sellers in Mubi North Local Government Area of Adamawa State say they are recording increased sales due to the scarcity of kerosene.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that acute kerosene scarcity has forced most families to rely on firewood for their cooking.
Investigations revealed that due to high cost of kerosene and low purchasing power, most families that cannot afford alternative sources of cooking energy such as gas, rely on firewood.
A litre of kerosene is sold for N210 while a four-litre keg attracts as much as N800 at the black market outlets in the area.
The increasing demand for firewood has jacked up its price by as much as 50 per cent in the last two months.
For instance, a bunch of firewood is currently being sold for N50 as against N25 previously, while a measure of charcoal sells for N100 as against its previous price of N70.
Hundreds of hectares of forest resources are being depleted daily through the activities of firewood sellers across Maiha, Michika, Mubi North and South Local Government Areas.
Ali Garba, a firewood vendor, described the trade as “lucrative”, adding that he is enjoying the patronage.
Garba said, “I’m making good sales and saving good money from the trade. Prices will further go up in view of the growing demand for the commodity.”
Malam Abubakar Ibrahim, a resident, said he preferred to use firewood to cook because of its relatively cheap price. “Unlike kerosene, firewood is cheaper and readily available,” Ibrahim said.
Though a cheap source of domestic fuel, the act of tree felling from which firewood is derived, has serious negative impact on the environment, according to environmentalists.
Mr John Audu, an environmentalist, expressed worry over the spate of tree felling in the area.
Audu noted that the activity was depleting forest resources and ravaging the ecosystem. He called for urgent measures to check the trend and prevent desert encroachment and erosion as well as conserve the ecosystem.
He urged the federal government to adopt “practical measures”’ to ensure adequate distribution of kerosene.
Audu noted that the development of alternative sources of energy