From Fred Ezeh, Abuja
Officials of the Federal Competition and Consumption Protection Commission (FCCPC), on Friday, visited food items market in Masaka, in Nasarawa state, on a fact-finding mission.
The officials said they are concerned that despite the continued strengthening of Naira against the dollar, the cost of food items and other basic items have refused to come down.
Director of Surveillance and Investigations, Boladale Adeyinka, who led the officials to the fact-finding visit to the market, said the essence of the fact-finding visit was to get first hand information from the market women and men what could have been responsible for the high cost of food items in the market despite the sustained efforts of the government to stabilize the economy.
She said: “We are happy that we visited the market. We had heart-to-heart interactions with the market people, and we are happy that they told us their mind as the regards the challenges the face which could be responsible for the high food inflation despite the significant drop in exchange rate.
“While some of the traders complained about insecurity(activities of herdsmen) that has affected the process of the food production, others said their major challenge is high cost of transportation caused by removal in fuel subsidy which result of hike in fuel price.
“Others also complained about heavy extortions from several non-state actors right from the farms to the market. They also complained about multiple taxes in the market. From our interactions with the traders, they pay different taxes to officials of the market, local government council, and several other illegal taxes which often forced the cost of the products to go high.”
She promised that the challenges as enumerated by the traders would be put together and presented to the government as suggestions to the challenges of food inflation in Nigeria.
Meanwhile, Masaka market Chairman, Salasi Gimba, said the only way the issue of food inflation can be controlled is by addressing the issue of high cost of fuel which has affected the cost of transportation by high percentage.
He said: “Most of the farmers and dealers that produce and supply the food items from the local communities complained about the bad roads, high cost of transportation, extortion, herdsmen activities and other challenges.”
He, however, denied the allegations that the management of the market is extorting the traders through multiple taxes. “Traders are charged little money monthly for the security and general cleaning of the market,” he said.
PHOTO CAPTION
1) Director of Surveillance and Investigations, FCCPC, Boladale Adeyinka, interacting with some of traders
2) Director of Surveillance and Investigations, FCCPC, Boladale Adeyinka, in a group photograph with officials of the market.