Yuletide: Litany of Moans from Customers, Traders

By Fasilat Lawal

A few days to Christmas, traders in Ibadan the Oyo State Capital have lamented low patronage of food commodities as a result of the hike in price.

Radio Nigeria correspondents who visited some major markets in Ibadan such as Bodija, Oja Oba and Apata observed that prices of bags of rice, vegetable oil, palm oil, yam flour and livestock had increased.

A rice seller, Mrs Betty Eze, who said a bag of rice is sold between 58,000 to 60,000 as against that of last year price of 32,000 decried low patronage of the goods.

While 25 litres of vegetable oil is now sold between 40,000 to 41,000 and five litres is between 7000 to 7500 Naira which is higher than that of last year.

Radio Nigeria gathered that the cost of broiler chicken has increased from 7000 to 12,000 and 15,000 depending on the size.

Also, a goat that was sold for 30,000 is now sold for 50,000.

In an interview, two livestock sellers, Mr Israel Atoyebi and Mr Damilola Ojo attributed the increase to the high cost of chicken feed and other livestock drugs.

A pepper seller, Mrs Dasola Lambe explained that the price of perishable items is on the average due to the season and an onion seller Mrs Nafisat Adesokan said a big bag of onions is sold between 120,000 to 150,000 attributed the high cost to transportation and lament low patronage.

A civil Servant Mr Adewumi Adebisi and a housewife. Mrs Ajibola who expressed worries over the high costs of food commodities said they could not purchase items as they wished for Christmas as they would celebrate moderately.

They called on the government to create a policy that would ensure price control of commodities to reduce hardship for the masses.

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