Prices of Food items soared high with Ramadan ending as Muslims celebrate Eid-el-Fitri.
Staff Reporter, Tosin Aderibigbe who went on a markets survey in Akure reports that both consumers and traders complained bitterly about the development.
According to the survey, a cartoon of fish sold for N34,000 is now sold for N40,000, 25 litres of groundnut oil is N37,000 as against N32,000 and a Kongo of beans moved to N1,400 from N1,100 while white beans rose from N800 to N950.
For vegetables, a small basket of bell pepper, popularly known as Rodo was sold for N1,700, a Congo of melon sold at N2000 as against N1500, 5kg of semolina increased from N2,700 to N3,000 while a pack of spaghetti that was sold for between N6500 sold for N7200.
Meanwhile, the prices of foreign and Nigerian rice remained the same with Foreign rice at N32,000 and Nigerian rice between N28,000 and N30,000 respectively.
Some Residents who spoke with radio Nigeria lamented incessant hike in the prices of foodstuffs saying the situation was becoming unbearable for ordinary Nigerians.
A housewife, Mrs Risikat Adeoye said she had to drag her husband to the market for him to have firsthand information of the ugly development While a retailer, Mrs Nike Anifowose appealed to the government to Increase workers’ salaries and find a lasting solution to increase in prices of foods.
For Muslims in the Akoko areas of the state, engaging fully in the Zakat Fitri, an essential part of the Ramadan which involves giving to the needy for the Eid-el-Fitri celebration might be difficult due to hike in the prices of foods.
Market survey in the area indicates about a 200% price increase on commodities partly due to insecurity aside from the general inflation in the country as farmers abandoned their farmlands for fear of being kidnapped or killed.
The Chairman, Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs, Akoko northwest council, Sheik Basiru Aminu however charged Muslims to celebrate moderately but encouraged them to perform the Zakat fitri to make their fasting valid and rewarding.
Reporting by Tosin Aderibigbe; Editing by Abdullahi Lamino