Nigerians Lament Outrageous Price Of Foodstuff Over Supply Blockade

Nigerians may suffer more than expected loss from the recent blockade of foodstuff to the Southern region as traders and restaurant owners have lamented the ridiculous increase in prices of some foodstuff.

Our correspondent observed that tomatoes, peppers and onions have become very expensive in markets in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital.

Traders in the North believe that the move may cost them millions daily if the blockade continue to linger.

The surge in food prices across most Sothern States follows the recent blockade of foodstuff to the Southern region by the Amalgamated Union of Foodstuff and Cattle Dears.
The group had demanded N4.75bn from the Federal Government as compensation for losses incurred during the #EndSARS’ protest and razing of their properties at Shasha Market in Oyo State.

The owner of Promiselanders Restaurant at the University of Ibadan Second Gate area, Promise Akpan, told our correspondent that the blockage of food supply has badly affected her business.

Akpan said, “The refusal to allow things like tomatoes, pepper and onions to come from the North is having a negative effect on my business. A plate of jollof rice is N1, 000 and my customers expect that at least a plate will satisfy them.

She said by Tuesday, the quantity served had to be drastically reduced due to the prices of tomatoes and pepper.

She decried that the prices of pepper and tomatoes have increased drastically since the blockade.
She said, “I just hope that the issue of blockage will be reviewed very soon. Although there are some still available in the market but we are hearing all sorts of stories concerning where they come from.”

Another restaurant owner around Mokola area of Ibadan, Grace Adewale, said she had cut down on preparing stew which she said is usually in high demand.

Adewale said this was because of the exorbitant prices of items like tomatoes, pepper and onions.

She said, “Stew is now prepared for few customers who can afford it. Now, I cook Vegetable, Okra, Egusi more, because those soups require lower quantities of tomatoes and peppers.

“But for those that still want me to serve them Vegetable, Okra or Egusi with stew, they pay more. The blockage of food supply to the South is causing a serious crisis for those of us in food business and even in families.”

Muhammad Tanko, a foodstuff supplier based in Mubi, Adamawa State, who spoke to THE WHISTLER lamented the loss suffered by Northern traders during recent attacks.

He said, “We have suffered huge loss recently. A lot of us have lost millions as a result of attacks on our trucks by Southerners.”

Tanko who admitted that the blockade was affecting their income said a lot of their goods have been left unsold.

The Trader who also ships livestock to the South said the blockade could cost him millions as some of the items could perish if it persists.

He said, “We have a lot of our goods some of which are perishable. Personally, I am losing a lot and if the blockade continues, I may end up losing millions. The truth is that we cannot consume these things and a lot of them will be wasted.”

But the Publicity Secretary of the Arewa Consultative Forum, Emmanuel Yelwa in an exclusive chat with this Website said it was uncalled for to place a blockade when the country was not at war.

“There is no need mounting a blockade by one section of the country against the other,” ACF said, adding that the ACF as an ardent believer in free trade wants the blockade stopped.

Yelwa called on the leadership of the Amalgamated Union of Foodstuff and Cattle Dears to suspend the action.

Quoting the National Chairman of the ACF, Audu Ogbe, he said the Forum was aware of the implication and was discussing with the aggrieved parties.

He said, “We did not mount the blockade. We are appealing to those who did to stop. We are discussing and appealing to them because we are aware of the consequences.”

However, an analyst and Professor of Economics at the Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, Peter Njiforte told THE WHISTLER that the decision was not well thought by the few northern elites who orchestrated the blockade.

He said, “It’s an economic war but we hope that they will resolve this very soon because it is not only in the North that they produce, even Southerners have what they produce and send to the North. For instance most of the tubers like yam and cassava (garri), and the vegetables also come from the South.

“If the northerners block grain and tomatoes and the Southerners block fuel supply and the likes of garri, what will the North do?”

Njiforte noted that those sponsoring the act are not reasonable and do not mean well for Nigerians.

“The blockade will affect Northern traders seriously because if they say they want to take it to neighbouring countries, what is the capacity of those countries to absorb the food cultivated in the North,” he added.

But the leadership of Amalgamated Union of Foodstuff and Cattle Dealers of Nigeria on Wednesday said it has agreed to end the blockade and begin supplies to the South.

The Union, reached the agreement in a meeting with the Governor of Kogi state, Yahaya Bello, former Aviation Minister Femi Fani-Kayode among others.

Among the youth leaders of the cattle dealers, Abdullahi Tom said that the union has agreed to call-off the strike and lift the blockade.