The Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC), on Tuesday, urged Nigerians to exercise patience over the increase in food prices across the nation.
As stated by the News Agency of Nigeria, Adamu Abdullahi, FCCPC’s acting Executive Vice Chairman, spoke during an interactive session with traders at Dawanau and Galadima markets in Kano.
According to Abdullahi, the government is making appropriate efforts to address the problem.
He said the purpose of the market visits was to engage with traders and identify the factors contributing to the continuous rise in food prices.
“The hike in food prices has been a major worry to the present administration of the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Tinubu and government is making efforts to ensure things get better for Nigerians.
“After our interactions with traders, we have been able to gather some facts that will guide the commission in advising Federal Government, in line with Section 17(b) of the FCCPC Act.
“The commission’s concern is to tackle issues affecting consumers, especially prices of commodities to ensure fair market practices,” Abdullahi said.
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Some market union leaders and consumers, according to the publication, attributed the continuous increase in food prices to the cost of transportation and insecurity.
Abdullahi Kasarkabasu, chairman of yam sellers in the Galadima market, said the high cost of diesel has led to increased transportation expenses, which has affected the prices of yams and other food items.
Kasarkabasu also cited the activities of cattle rustlers and general insecurity, which discourage farming, as additional factors driving up food prices.
Abdulkadir Umar, Chairman of the Rice Dealers Association in Dawanau market, said paddy rice sourced from villages to rice mills now costs more due to insecurity issues.
Umar said the increased costs of procuring and processing rice have led to low patronage, as a ‘mudu’ (measurement plate) of rice now costs between N3,900 and N4,200.
The chairman urged the government to increase investment in farming by providing sufficient fertilizer and other inputs and ensuring adequate security for farmers.
Justina Ogedo, a consumer, appealed to the government to act fast to save Nigerians from hunger, saying that “most consumers can no longer afford a tuber of yam due to the high price”.
“Before now, a tuber of yam was sold for between N500 and N800, but now, it is as high as N4,000 and because of the situation, we now eat twice daily,” Ogedo said.
