Hardship: We can no longer plan our meals, FCT residents cry out

Published

3 months ago

June 22, 2024

A cross-section of residents of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), says they can no longer fend for their families due to the rising cost of foodstuff.

The residents, who spoke in separate interviews with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Friday in Abuja, said that eating beans and yam have become a luxury due to its high cost.

This, they said, had affected their domestic food timetable, making it impossible to eat varieties.

Mrs Glory Ocholi, a mother, said that beans have become so expensive that it is difficult to buy in bulk as she usually does to help in her nutrition plan.

“Before now, I used to buy 10 mudus of white beans for between N9, 000 to N10, 000, at N900 to N950 each.

“While the red one was usually slightly above N100 or N200.

“Currently, white beans cost N2,800 while red beans are sold for N3,000 to N3,500 , yam, Irish and sweet potatoes are also very expensive, it is only the rich that can afford them.

“You cannot buy corn or sorghum, vegetables are a no-go area, so at the end of the day, our children are forced to eat whatever we can provide,’’ she said.

Ocholi said that buying foodstuff at a higher cost had forced her to take off meals like ‘akara’ and pap which used to be a Saturday morning meal in her home.

She appealed to both the government and Nigerian Food Products Suppliers and Manufacturers to find ways to address the situation.

Mr Habila Makama, said that he could no longer afford certain foods in his household due to the high prices.

“I used to compliment yam with sweet or Irish potatoes when yam is not in season but now, I cannot afford any of them.

“Sweet potatoes that used to be the cheapest are also expensive. Rice is the only available food now in spite of the cost.

“We eat it every day of the week and probably exchange it with any available swallow with the soup you can afford,’’ he said.

A NAN correspondent who visited the Dutse-Alhaji market reported that five big tubers of yam now go for a negotiable price of N12, 000 to N14, 000.

At Karu market, corn and millet which previously sold for N850 and N900, is now being sold for N1, 300 per mudu.

NAN also reports that a bag of corn which was previously sold for N40, 000 and millet for N65, 000, are now being sold for N90, 000 per bag.

One of the traders in karu market, Mallam Bashiru Ahmed, said that prices of goods fluctuate daily and could increase by 20 per cent or more, within a week.

He said that traders sometimes go to the market to buy a bag of beans for N160, 000, but end up buying for between N180, 000 or N200, 000 due to price fluctuation.

Ahmed attributed the high cost to transportation of the goods from the northern states to the distribution units or towns, where other middle men or traders go to buy from.

“The cost of transportation has contributed to the increase in cost of these foods and it has really affected our business.

“We had to increase the price of grains to meet up with the expenses in logistics, and this is making our customers complain, thereby affecting patronage,’’ he said.

He pleaded with the government to put in place measures that could salvage the cost of transportation and control market price for grains.

This, he said would stop distributors and sellers from inducing unnecessary price increase

Rupture In PDP Governors’ Forum deepens

Published

2 hours ago

September 20, 2024

Austin Ojomah

By Ojomah Austin.

The evolving fall-out, which comes barely days to the contentious National Executive Committee (NEC) of PDP, followed a back and forth between the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister, Nyesom Wike and the Governors forum, who declared support for Rivers State governor, Siminalayi Fubara to be made leader of the party in the state.

After a meeting with some members of the party’s National Working Committee (NWC) in Bauchi on Wednesday, Governor Mohammed, said “According to our party’s constitution, any leadership vacancy should be filled by someone from the region where it originated,” stressing that Damagum would be replaced soon considering that he hails from North East and not the North Central.

Same day, Makinde, during the groundbreaking of the upgrading of Ladoke Akintola Airport, Ibadan, to an international airport, which was attended by another set of NWC members, led by Damagum, said he would support whatever decision the Damagum-led NWC would take to reposition the party.

Damagum, who is considered a close ally of Nyesom Wike, the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister, was appointed acting national chairman after the removal of Iyorchia Ayu in June 2023.

Meanwhile, the Board of Trustees (BoT) of the PDP led by Senator Adolph Wabara, met with members of the National Assembly caucus in Abuja.

The close door meeting comes barely hours after the BoT met with Wike in Abuja.

While Wabara refused to comment on the essence of the meeting with the lawmakers, it was noticed that most of the lawmakers didn’t honour the invitation.

News

Tears As Man Takes Own Life Over Tinubu’s Govt Hardship

Published

2 hours ago

September 20, 2024

Naijablitznews

By Mario Deepromoter

Sad development in Marika village, Kiyawa Local Government, Jigawa, where a 40-year-old man, Jibrin Adamu, committed suicide by hanging himself.

According to eyewitnesses, Adamu’s lifeless body was discovered in a classroom at Miftahul Khairat Islamiyya and Primary School Gurdiba on Thursday.

Police spokesperson DSP Lawan Shiisu Adam confirmed the incident, stating that preliminary investigations revealed Adamu had struggled with mental health issues.

“Police received a report on Thursday that at about 1830hrs, a tragic incident was reported at the Command headquarters that one Jibrin Adamu ‘m’ age 40yrs of Jigawar Maroka village, Kiyawa LGA has committed suicide by hanging himself over the ceiling at Islamiyya school,” the Police spokesperson told Daily Post.

The Jigawa State Commissioner of Police, CP AT Abdullahi, has instructed officers to conduct a thorough investigation into the incident.

News

Just in: Dangote Petrol Now Available at N765.99 Per Litre

Published

2 hours ago

September 20, 2024

Naijablitznews

By Mario Deepromoter

11plc, Total Energies, AA Rano, and other marketers have begun lifting Dangote Petrol through Nigerian National Company (NNPC) Trading Limited for N765.99 to retail outlets nationwide.

Findings showed some petroleum marketers who were able to complete their payment process on the NNPC trading payment portal commenced the lifting of petrol earlier this week under the existing agreement between marketers and the refinery.

Tunji Oyebanji, managing director, 11Plc confirmed to BusinessDay on Thursday evening that some marketers have started lifting the products at N765.99 from Dangote Refinery through NNPC who remain the sole off-taker of product.

“We were among the first marketers to complete the payment on the NNPC portal. We have no direct arrangement with the refinery,” Oyebanji said.

It was gathered that NNPC Retail, 11plc, Total Energies, A.A Rano are among the marketers that have picked up products from the refinery.

He added, “We don’t know the contractual financial arrangement between NNPC and the refinery but what I can confirm is we are buying at N765.99 from NNPC to lift Dangote petrol”.

Efforts to get the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN) to confirm if its members have picked up products at the Dangote Refinery proved abortive at the time of writing this report.

See also Nigeria’s Petrol Landing Cost Revealed
Adedapo Segun, executive vice-president, downstream at NNPC said marketers cannot purchase petrol directly from the refinery because the product is still sold at a subsidised rate.

“That is the same thing happening with Dangote. I said earlier that Dangote is a company and it is going to sell at market price,” he told Journalists.

According to Segun, “The market value of PMS is still higher than what N766 or N765 or N799 that NNPC is selling.

“The situation has not changed there. So, NNPC’s off-taking is only because the others would not buy at the price Dangote will be willing to sell, which is reasonable.

“As soon as the price allows for it, you will see the marketers go to Dangote and buy.”