- Traders Lament Poor Sales, Cash Limit On ATM Machines
BY ANDY AKENI/JOEL GRANDBALL
AS Christians celebrate Christmas today, residents of Asaba and other parts of Delta State have decried hike in prices of food items as many families may not celebrate.
Therefore, buyers and sellers at the Ogeogonogo market in Asaba, have called for lasting solutions to check the biting economy hitting the poor masses.
The respondents, in separate interviews with The Pointer, yesterday, appealed to government, farmers and market associations to find a permanent solution to the ugly situation in the country.
Speaking, yesterday, to our correspondent, Mrs. Okeoghene Mary, who was at the Ogbeogonogo market to buy things to mark the yuletide, said she could not buy much as everything had increased beyond the reach of the poor.
She said a bag of 50kg Mango rice sold three days ago for N110,000 was selling for as high as N125,000, yesterday.
According to her “I had to buy two buckets of rice just to save the day. Also, onions, pepper chicken and other food items were on the rise against their old prices, I am begging the government deliver dividends of democracy to the poor ones in our midst”.
In the same vein, Mrs. Monica Chukwurah said she was unable to buy any item, adding that many families including her own will not celebrate due to hike in prices of food items in the markets.
She said prices of foodstuffs have gone up astronomically in all markets, including the main Ogbeogonogo and School of Midwifery markets in Asaba and Okpanam, respectively.
Collaborating others, a civil servant in Warri, Mr. Onos Umukoro urged the Federal Government to counter the challenges by selling foodstuffs directly to citizens at lower prices.
He said the move would compel those hoarding their produce in warehouses to maximize profit and bring them out and sell at reasonable prices. He pointed out that prices of items at Igbudu, Effurun and MacIver markets were beyond the reach of the poor Nigerians, who might not be able to celebrate the yuletide.
Another mother, Mrs. Uju Okwudiri, who described 2024 as challenging, said chicken, at N25,000, had gone beyond the reach of an average family.
She said she was unable to buy clothes for her children, but also found it difficult to buy food items to celebrate today. She, however, encouraged housewives to make do with the little they can lay hands on and pray to God for a better future.
Meanwhile, justifying the hike in prices, sellers of tomato, pepper and onions said prices went up due to their off-season nature and increase in transportation.
