The rising cost of living and escalating food prices have been a major challenge the majority of Nigerians are battling with at the moment.
Food, which is an essential commodity is gradually becoming scarce commodity, as many households could no longer afford a three-square meal due the daily increment of food items…..CONTINUE READING
The rise in the cost of staple food and other products have affected the purchasing power of many Nigerians, as it is now very difficult for the majority of households to afford daily meals.
Basic food items are now gradually beyond the reach of a common man. Prices of items like rice, beans, garri and others are increasing daily. Traders lamented that their businesses have dropped because of low purchasing power as life becomes unbearable for the masses across the country.
Some of the respondents to our reporter have, therefore, appealed to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to urgently open all Nigerian borders to reduce the compounded tension from insecurity.
Items such as rice (foreign), 50kg which was sold for N60,000 per bag in December 2023 goes for N86,000 in February 2024, while Nigerian rice (50kg) which was sold between N55,000 and N60,000 in December 2023 now sells for N79,000.
A rubber paint of Garri, which was sold between N1200 and N1500 in December 2023 depending on the colour, now sells for N2200 and N2500 in February 2024.
A civil servant with the Ondo State government, who pleaded anonymity lamented that this issue of food prices has now gotten to a point that the government needs to urgently intervene.
She said that N5000 can no longer cook a pot of soup at this time and that salary is not increasing.
“We can no longer eat three square meals; it is not that we don’t want to, but because we could no longer afford it.”
