Food Security: Governor bans levies in markets, to introduce price control

commences implementation of bulk purchase and selling of food items

Ogun State Governor, Dapo Abiodun, has disclosed plans by his administration to introduce a price control mechanism in the state.

Governor Abiodun also disclosed that henceforth, all forms of market levies have been suspended, noting that only development and environmental levies will be allowed, as they are meant for the development of markets in the state.

Governor Abiodun also disclosed that henceforth, all forms of market levies have been suspended, noting that only development and environmental levies will be allowed, as they are meant for the development of markets in the state.

The governor disclosed these during a meeting with market leaders led by the Iyaloja General, Chief (Mrs.) Yemisi Abass, at the Governor’s Office, Oke-Mosan, Abeokuta.

Abiodun said as part of measures to control the uptick in the prices of food items, the state government will soon commence the operation of its Bulk Purchasing Company, which has now been rebranded as Gateway Trading Company, to ensure that the cost of food items is much more affordable for the people.

Governor Abiodun also noted that the Gateway Trading Company would, in the first instance, begin operations in the four zones of the state.

“We’ve also resolved that we will begin the implementation of bulk purchase and selling in the state. To that extent, the state government has rebranded our bulk purchase company. It is now called Gateway Trading Board.

“Gateway Trading will now assist in bringing food items to our teeming public at prices that will be significantly below what they can obtain when they go to the market themselves.

“So, we are going to aggressively implement our Gateway Trading objectives. They will first start in the four zones; they will buy in bulk and resell at prices that will be more affordable to our people,” he said

Any person found collecting money illegally by way of tolls will be arrested and made to face the full wrath of the law; we are not going to tolerate any of these illegalities.

It was brought to my attention that in some local government areas of the state, developers are brought in to develop their shops and stalls, and when they do so, because they are developers and entrepreneurs whose objective is to make money, they impose unbearable rents on our market men and women. I promised to look into it and ensure that it stops forthwith,” he said.

Governor Abiodun noted that his administration would be providing support in the form of grants, loans, and farm implements to different farmers’ associations in the state.

“We will also assist our market men and women by way of very low-interest loans, which we are already working on.

“We have an Ogun Empowerment Scheme that is being finalised by the Ministries of Industry, Trade and Investment, and Women Affairs, which is geared towards providing single-digit loans or grants, as the case may be, particularly for our informal sector, the market women,” he said.

The Governor said that the Ministry of Environment, Ogun State Waste Management Agency, and the Ministry of Women Affairs will work together to ensure the effective management of waste in markets across the state, charging the agencies to ensure that dumpsters are readily available at the markets and picked up regularly.

In her remarks, the President of Market Women and Men in the State and Iyaloja of Yewaland, Chief Yemisi Abass, commended Governor Abiodun for deeming it fit to call market leaders together to deliberate on how to make life more bearable for the people of the state.

She disclosed that they are happy with all the resolutions reached at the meeting.