The House of Representatives, on Wednesday mandated it committee on Gas Resources and Petroleum Downstream to investigate the reasons for the scarcity and incessant hike in the price of liquefied petroleum gas.

This followed a motion by Rep. Sergius Ogun (PDP-Edo) which was unanimously adopted by members through a voice vote.

Moving the motion, Ogun explained that the price of the gas had been subjected to incessant hikes with the various players in the sector trading blames.

He added that these players end up doing nothing to stem the rise in price which was usually proceded by scarcity of the products.

According to him, in 2016, the price of 2.5 kilogram of gas increased from N2,700 to between N3, 500 and N4,000, depending on the vendor and the same quantity of the product is currently selling between N5,000 to N6,000.

Ogun expressed worry that the lack of information as to the exact reason for the constant scarcity and hike in the price of the product did not bode well for the nation.

This, he explained had given the impression that the sector was completely unregulated.

He added that citizens were at .the mercy of the players in the Liquefied Petroleum Gas (cooking gas) Industry.

“If the reasons for the incessant hike in price and the scarcity of gas which is locally produced without any foreign exchange components is not investigated, the citizens will be further impoverished by the exorbitant price.

“If not checked, the citizens can also be forced to adopt alternative but less healthy methods of cooking,”he said.

In his contribution, the Deputy Speaker, Rep. Yussuff Lasun, blamed the hike in price of cooking gas on the activities of the militants in the Niger Delta region.

He added that the issue goes beyond the price of cooking gas but also had effects on the country’s economy.

Lasun therefore, called for more efforts to address the restiveness in the region.

Rep. Bashir Babale (APC-Kano) in his contribution lamented that the hike in price of cooking gas, kerosene and coal was alarming as the common man can not afford it.

Also, Rep. Aminu Shagari (APC-Sokoto) said that the Parliament needed to do something as the hardship was becoming unbearable for Nigerians.