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Food price hikes at festive periods: Buyers, sellers call for lasting solutions
Buyers and sellers of foodstuffs in Ibadan have called for lasting solutions to the challenge of food price increases, especially during festive periods.
The buyers and sellers, in separate interviews with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Tuesday, called on the government, farmers and market associations to resolve the matter.
NAN reports that prices of foodstuffs have gone up astronomically at Itamerin, Akinyele, Omi-Adio, Bode and Aleshinloye markets, all in Ibadan, as the world celebrates Christmas on Wednesday.
A federal civil servant, Mr Abiodun Oyetunde, urged the Federal Government (FG) to counter the challenge by selling foodstuffs directly to citizens at low prices.
He said the move would compel those hoarding their produce in warehouses to maximize profit to bring them out and sell at reasonable prices.
Oyetunde, however, said the delay in the payment of the December salary would prevent affected families from buying foodstuffs for the celebrations.
He, therefore, appealed to the FG to ensure prompt payment of salaries to enable families to buy all they need ahead of the festive days.
A consumer, Mrs Uju Okwudiri, who described 2024 as challenging, said chicken, at N25,000, had gone beyond the reach of an average family.
She, however, encouraged housewives to rear chickens in their backyards, even if they would be local fowls.
A buyer, Mrs Folake Sodimu, called on the government to build silos and assist traders and farmers dealing with perishable items to preserve and make their produce available to customers at all times.
A media consultant, Mr Sunday Adebayo, called on farmers’ associations and government agencies to ensure that government intervention reached the real farmers and not fraudulent personalities acting as farmers.
According to him, those who are not true farmers have always developed means of robbing sincere farmers of agricultural inputs meant to develop farmlands in Nigeria.
To achieve this, Adebayo said there must be synergy and sincerity to achieve the right thing among the different farmers’ associations, government agencies and market associations.
Adebayo also called on governments at all levels to make mechanised farming a reality in their various domains.
“The days of subsistence family farming are gone.
“These days, mechanised farming, enhanced by modern tractors and other farming equipment, guarantees national food security, enough produce for sellers and buyers, including sufficient profits to farmers.
“With mechanised farming, everybody smiles,” he said.
Meanwhile, sellers of tomato, pepper and onion said prices went up due to their off-season nature in the South-West.
They said with the produce being brought in from the North, the high cost of transportation would make them expensive.
NAN reports that a big basket of tomatoes, formerly sold between N8,000 and N10,000, now sells between N15,000 and N20,000.
A small basket of tomatoes, previously sold between N5,000 and N6,000, now sells between N8,000 and N9,000, depending on the quality of the produce.
At the chicken market at Liberty Road, a seller, Mrs Rebecca Andrew, lamented the drop in chicken sales compared with 2023.
According to Andrew, an average chicken sells between N22,000 and N25,000, while a live turkey sells between N70,000 and N85,000.
She explained that the prices of feeds and day-old chicks contributed greatly to what she bought and now selling.
At Omi-Adio, a vegetable oil seller, Mrs Maria Ajani, expressed dissatisfaction with the level of sales.
She attributed the situation to the high demand for vegetable oil ahead of the Christmas and New Year celebrations.
Ajani says the price of vegetable oil increases daily, making a 50kg vegetable oil keg to sell between N80,000 and N85,000.
At the tomato section of the market, a tomato seller, Mrs Khadijat Bolarinwa, says a basket of tomatoes from the north is now N85,000.
Bolarinwa said a bag of Atarodo (a kind of pepper) now sells between N70,000 and N100,000, while Bawa pepper sells for N80,000.
NAN reports that 40 pieces of medium onion sell at N10,000.
The Chairman, Onion Sellers Association in Oyo State, Alhaji Azeez Ademola, says a big bag of onions, previously sold at N100,000, now sells for N300,000, while a small bag sells for N200,000.
Ademola attributed the hike to the incident in Zamfara, Yobe, and Sokoto states, in which bandits chased out onion farmers from their farms, forcing them to leave their produce unharvested.
“The economy has affected a lot of homes, as some traders can no longer purchase goods at the usual rate.
“Virtually, all the prices of goods in the market have soared,” he said. (NAN)
BY ANKELI EMMANUEL, Sokoto
The Deputy Speaker, Sokoto State House of Assembly, Kabir Ibrahim kware, has commended governor Ahmed Aliyu for executing numerous developmental projects without taking loan from any financial institution.
Ibrahim Kware whp gave the commendation when he led other members of the State Assembly on Sallah homage to governor Aliyu, added that, the governor is very prudent in managing resources to achieve results.
“There was never a time you approached us with a request for permission to borrow money from any financial institutions whether at home or abroad,”he affirmed.
This , according to him, is worthy of commendation considering the myriad people- oriented projects the governor is executing across the state.
Speaking on behalf of the State’s Judiciary, Sokoto State Chief Judge, Justice Muhammad Sa’idu Sifawa, commended the governor for the construction of additional Court rooms at the State High Court.
Justice Sifawa also expressed delight over the way and manner the governor responds to issues affecting the Judiciary, which he said, is a clear testimony of the good working relationship existing between the three arms of government in the state.
Responding to the commendations, governor Ahmed Aliyu appealed for more synergy among the three tiers of government in the overall development of the state.
A statement by Abubakar Bawa, the Press Secretary to governor Alhmed Aliyu reaffirmed his principal’s unwavering commitment of the executive arm to providing the direly needed dividends of democracy to the people of the state,in line with his campaign promises.
The governor also urged lawmakers to present all the needs of their constituencies for prompt and diligent implementation.
“”I want to assure you that my doors are always open for you at any given time, to listen to the demands of your people.”
He reminded them on the need to put politics aside and work together with the executive arm for the progress and even development of the people they represent.
Turning to the members of the State Judiciary, the governor appealed to Judges and Khadis to ensure the quick dispensation of justice, so as to decongest the correctional centres.
“It is worrisome to see how inmates are languishing in correctional centres for minor offences in the name of awaiting trial.
“We recently appointed seven additional Judges and 7 Khadis, which is the first in the history of Sokoto State.
“The idea is to enhance the manpower in our Judiciary so as to speed up the dispensation of justice,” he added.
The governor further assured the members of the Judiciary of his administration’s readiness to ensure their welfare at all times.
BY ANKELI EMMANUEL, Sokoto
The Sultan of Sokoto and President General, Nigeria Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs (NSCIA) Muahammad Sa’ad Abubakar 111 has commended the developmental strides of Sokoto state governor, Ahmed Aliyu, just as he assured of the support of traditional institutions in the state.
Sultan who admonished other governor’s to also borrow a leaf from governor Ahmed Aliyu who ensures that resident communities enjoys equal benefit from everybody, added that, Nigerians should project what unites us moe than that which divides us.
“In Sokoto, we appreciate what the Governor is doing and we’d like to assure him of the support of the traditional institution so that he can continue the good work he’s doing of transforming our State.
“The Governor and our security agencies are doing their best and this has made the state to record tremendous improvement in the fight against banditry,” the Sultan averred.
While adding that governor Ahmed Aliyu deserves special commendation for the massive distribution of food items during the just-concluded Ramadan fast, Sultan urged Nigerians to always be law-abiding and desist from any act that may jeopardise the long lasting peace the country is enjoying.
Registering his displeasure over how the social media is been used negatively to promote and sow seed o discord, the Sultan said, some unpatriotic citizens use social media to spread falsehood, misinformation and provocative statements that can destroy the peaceful atmosphere the country is enjoying.
He, therefore, called on the security agencies in the country to be watchful of the unpatriotic citizens trying to create chaos in the land.
Speaking during his
Sallah homage on governor Ahmed Aliyu at the Banquet Hall, Presidential Lodge, Sokoto, Sultan
said, “”In Sokoto all Nigerians are treated as indigenes, an act that gives Nigerians residing in the State a sense of belonging.
Sultan equally stressed the need for for state governors to give much emphasis in protecting the lives and property of their subjects, describing security as the basis upon which all societies could progress.
Responding, governor Ahmed Aliyu reassured his administration’s determination to do everything humanly possible to make the state safe and secured.
He blamed unemployment especially among the youths as responsible for the insecurity being recorded in many parts of the country.
According to Aliyu, many youths have joined informants’ groups so as to be getting stipends to make ends meet.
“This administration has so far trained and graduated thousands of youths and women in different trades so as to make them productive members in the society.
” I want to assure you that we would soon embark on another massive skills acquisition programme to engage more unemployed youths in our modest attempt to reduce restiveness among our youths,” he vowed
Gov. Aliyu further reassured the people of the state that his administration would continue to prioritize Islamic affairs, adding that more Mosques and Islamiyya schools would continue to receive the desired attention from the state government.
He thanked the people of the state for their fervent prayers and support to his administration and called for it’s sustainance.
Sterling Bank has made a groundbreaking move by eliminating transfer charges on local transactions, aiming to create a more equitable banking experience for Nigerians. The question now arises: will other financial institutions follow this lead?
On April 1, Sterling Bank announced the removal of transfer fees for all local digital transactions, positioning itself as the first major bank in Nigeria to implement such a policy. Initially, the announcement faced skepticism, with many believing it to be an April Fools’ Day joke. However, Sterling has since reaffirmed the policy’s legitimacy and immediate implementation, signaling a significant evolution in the industry’s customer service approach.
Obinna Ukachukwu, the Growth Executive overseeing the Consumer and Business Banking Directorate, stated, “We believe that accessing your own funds should not incur a penalty. This decision transcends financial implications; it reflects our core values.”
With this new policy, Sterling customers can now make free transfers for all local transactions via the bank’s mobile app. This initiative is anticipated to yield considerable savings for individuals and small business owners who frequently engage in transfers.
“We may not be the largest bank in Nigeria, but we are certainly the most audacious,” Ukachukwu declared. “Sterling Bank is committed to the future of Nigeria, and we are backing our fellow citizens with more than just words.”
Sterling Bank has a history of prioritizing customer welfare, having previously offered financial assistance to healthcare workers during the COVID-19 pandemic. This latest initiative has garnered widespread public support, igniting conversations on social media and prompting calls for other banks to adopt similar practices.
“We take pride in leading this transformative change,” Ukachukwu concluded. “We hope to inspire others to rethink what customers truly require from their banks, not only in terms of services but also in values.”