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From Okwe Obi, Abuja
The matching order by President Bola Tinubu to the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security to ensure a reduction in the prices of foodstuffs has not been effective, as the prices of farm produce have continued to soar.
Two weeks ago, during the training of journalists covering the Senate, Minister of State for Agriculture and Food Security, Sabi Abdullahi, said President Tinubu tasked the ministry to roll out additional measures aimed at further reducing food prices in the country.
According to him, the ministry was working with relevant agencies to put structures in place to ensure the safe passage of agricultural produce across the country.
“In addressing the high cost of transporting farm produce, I can say it on good authority that the President has given a matching order, with a Federal Executive Council committee already working on how to promote safe passage of agricultural commodities nationwide,” Abdullahi said.
He had attributed the soaring prices of foodstuffs to transportation bottlenecks, as commodities become expensive by the time they reach consumers.
Abdullahi said: “Mr. President has shown tremendous interest in the cooperative sector as a veritable tool for mobilizing resources, generating economic activity, and improving the livelihood of members.”
Also, the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), in its latest inflation report, disclosed that Nigeria’s annual inflation rate eased to 20.12 percent in August from 21.88 percent in July.
Inflation indicators compare prices of goods and services over 12 months. But a decline does not necessarily imply a reduction in prices; instead, it shows the rate of price increase had fallen compared to previous months.
But across the major markets in Abuja, prices of goods are still high, with low purchasing power.
A market survey revealed that a 50kg bag of rice, which was sold for N60,000, is still the same price now. A kilo of meat is still N7,000, as it was two weeks ago. A mudu of beans is still around N1,700 to N1,800, depending on the type. A moderate-size catfish is between N6,000 and N8,000.
A trader at the Kabusa market, Ebere Chukwuemeka, said prices of foodstuffs would even go higher, adding that as the festive period approaches, demand would be high.
“As you can see, the prices of foodstuffs are still going up. If care is not taken, before December, prices of goods would double.
“For some of us, the President’s remark is a political statement because transportation is still on the increase. We spend a lot to get tomatoes, pepper, and onions from Kano, Kaduna, and Niger because of the bad roads and unnecessary levies on the road. “Most people are not even farming because of the atrocities of bandits. So, with that, how will the prices of foodstuffs reduce? They will continue to climb.”
An Abuja resident, Mary Mathias, appealed to the government to fulfill its promises to crash the cost of foodstuffs.
“I think the only thing that is now cheap is onions; this is the season. Aside from that, all other things are expensive. Titus fish is still expensive, and melon is still very expensive. We are just trying to manage.
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“The government should speed up its plans because it is getting harder by the day,” she said.
However, the National President of the All Farmers Association of Nigeria (AFAN), Ibrahim Kabir, implored Nigerians to be patient with the government.
Kabir said such a directive would take time to fully materialize, adding that market forces would try to resist the directive.
He said: “You know, some of these things, you see, even with the military, when they had the price control, was it easy to control prices? Even in the military.
“So, I am sure they must have told you that even when you do price control, you cannot go to every shop and enforce it. So, it is a work in progress.
“So, we should wait and see. But I can assure you that prices are going down. Everywhere you are, they are not going down. “So, just give it time. Prices are definitely going down. As you know, because we have so many farmers complaining that they cannot even go back to the farm.
“So, it is just because you have no money. The purchasing power is not there.
“The Naira cannot buy much. So, even if it is 10,000 Naira per hour, people will still complain. And that’s the problem.
“That’s the problem, sir. It is the purchasing power of the Naira that is taking its toll on people.
“So, are you not buying the same thing from the market that multiple Naira buy? It is the same thing. So, that is the problem, sir. That is the logic of it.
“You know, because people have no money, whatever you do, they will not see it. Everybody eats food. So, they will always complain now.
“If you go to the market today and they say the thing is 50,000, you go tomorrow and they say it’s 45,000. It’s very marginal. The details are marginal.
“So, people will still complain. But I can assure you that even something that was sold for N50,000 two weeks ago, if they tell you N10,000 today, you will still feel that it is costly. So, even if they give it to you free of charge, you will not know.
“I am sure you know how much a Bolt drive to the airport is? It’s around 15,000. It depends on your location.
“So, you see now? If I try to look at it, it is a lot of money. So, let us just be patient and watch. Let us see whether it will work. You know, we have written severally on this; that is why I am not keen on doing anything again.
“But it’s just a matter of time. We should not expect miracles. That today it changes, then the next day it happens more. It will take time.”
