Food Crisis: Government set to establish agency to sell food items at lower price

The agency will buy items in bulk and sell them to the people at lower prices.

The Akwa Ibom State Government is planning to establish an agency which will buy food items in bulk and then sell them at cheaper prices to the residents.

The Akwa Ibom State Governor, Umo Eno, has forwarded to the House of Assembly a bill for the establishment of the agency.

Ekerete Udoh, the spokesperson to the governor, disclosed this in a statement in Uyo on Monday.

Prices of basic commodities have ballooned beyond the reach of some Nigerians, a development that has triggered protests in some states in the country.

Mr Eno, who urged residents to be patient, promised to sign the bill into law when it is passed by the assembly.

“We will buy the food items in bulk and ensure that they are made available to our people at relatively lower prices. The process will be transparent.

“I want to thank the House of Assembly for the expeditious manner this Bill is being treated. I want to assure our people that we feel their pain and are working hard to ensure that food security for our people is guaranteed.

“That’s why they voted for me overwhelmingly and as you know, I came from this stock and I feel their pain completely,” Mr Eno said.

Why policy may not succeed – farmer
Commenting on the government plan, a poultry farmer, Namso Udoka, said the state government will not succeed unless it tackles insecurity.

Mr Udoaka, who is the managing director of GraseBBEE farm in Abak Local Government Area of the state, said, for instance, the current N3000 price for a crate of eggs is influenced by the increase in the price of feeds, which he said has jumped from N7, 500 to N12, 200.

He said because of insecurity, farmers in northern Nigeria were no longer planting corn, a major component in poultry feed production, the reason he said caused the price to jump.

He also said the major challenge the new agency will face is where to see the items they want to buy in bulk.

“They will not succeed. Where would they even see the items and buy in bulk before selling at lower prices?” he asked.

Otobong KenJoshua, a retailer of staple food items in Uyo, said he has doubts about the proposed policy being effective beyond the cities.

Mrs KenJoshua recalled how the Akwa Ibom State Government, some years ago, bought garri in bags and retailed it to the people at lower prices at the state secretariat complex in Uyo, without taking it to the rural areas.

Continuing, she said the people in the villages are the ones worst affected by the high rise in the prices of food items.

Mr Udoaka and Mrs KenJoshua said they do not expect the government’s proposed plan to have any positive impact on their business.

Agriculture and rural development aimed at reducing rural-urban migration is a top priority in Governor Eno’s economic blueprint.

The governor has said at different fora that some chairmen of local councils in the state have honoured his requests to donate lands in their domains for agriculture.

It is not clear, however, how many of these lands have been put to use and if proceeds from the lands will help reduce food inflation.