Shuaibu Usman
Emir of Lafia, Justice Sidi Bage l (Rtd), has joined prominent voices in the country to call for a speedy end to the rising cost of food items among other economic challenges the nation is battling with.
The paramount ruler’s appeal comes few days after the resurgence of increased protests by Nigerians and threats to down tool by labour unions if the situation is left unattended to.
Different states of the country including Lagos, the nation’s commercial hub, Kano, Niger among others witnessed series of demonstrations by citizenry calling for a halt to what they identified as worsening economic situation.
Justice Bage said government as a keyplayer has a role of maintaining stability of the economy through proactive mechanisms in price control and effective coordination of food value chain to prevent hoarding and excessive pricing.
He stated this when he hosted the leadership of the Nasarawa State Traders and Marketers Association at his palace in Lafia.
The monarch said government had planned to distribute food items across states of the nation to ameliorate the soaring plights of the poor masses, maintaining that more deliberate, sustainable measures should be taken to stabilise the nation’s economy that would afford the poor opportunities to put food on their tables daily.
He added that there is an urgent need for swift and decisive action to mitigate the impact of the cost of living crisis and restore hope of the country’s citizens.
He explained that reversing the fuel subsidy removal policy of the Tinubu-led administration is not an effective solution but suggested sincere economic policy that brings a total halt to the current crisis, urging traders in the country to help the government’s plan to contain the challenges of the present time.
President, Nasarawa State Traders and Marketers Association, Musa Turaki-Gamji called for careful study of monetary policy of the nation, noting that dollarisation, rising inflation, customs duty and price control are some areas for authorities to pay attention to if the difficult situation must be addressed.
Turaki-Gamji said the union is touring the zones of the state to sensitize traders on supporting government’s plans to assuage the plight of the people, adding that the state is not exceptional to the crisis, however sought for the support of the traditional institution and market forces towards making the situation better in the state.
He noted that the association tasked itself to immediately take concrete actions aimed at alleviating the living crisis, adding that Nasarawa was blessed with large amount of food produce last year, unfortunately, marketers from Kano, Sokoto, Kebbi, Zamfara and other places had siezed the opportunity of the food boom to buy and hoard in faraway places leaving the people in hunger and excruciating suffering.
On their parts, the Sarkin Kasuwan Lafia, Chairman Rice Millers Association, Chairman Grains Marketers Association said until appropriate action is taken on erring marketers and corrective measures necessary to fix the economy, the economy would be battered if allowed prone to food insecurity and hoarding by capitalist buyers.
During a sensitization meeting with shop vendors at the New Lafia Modern Market, the Lafia Neighbourhood Market and the Lafia Ultra Modern Market, Musa Turaki-Gamji advised them to also consider the plight of the poor and needy by not hiking their prices to earn huge profits at the expense of the needy.
Speaking to newsmen shortly after the meeting, Chairman of the Special Taskforce on Market Price Sensitization, Mohammed Ibrahim, said the taskforce would go round the local government areas of the state in the week to stem the tide of the growing economic hardship in the country, maintaining that it is a proactive approach taken by the union to avoid the experiences of residents of other states who had to engage in rowdy, violent protests.