The Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission, FCCPC, over the weekend embarked on a fact finding and investigation mission to Masaka market in Karu Local Government Area of Nasarawa State to check the arbitrary increase in the prices of food items by traders.
The Director, Surveillance and Investigations in FCCPC, Mrs Boladale Adeyinka said the move was part of the Commission’s food price campaign towards addressing the exorbitant prices of commodities despite the reduction in the exchange rate.
According to Mrs Boladale Adeyinka, the Commission will come up with an accurate report and advise the Federal Government on how the issue can be addressed
She advised Market Unions and Associations against forming a cartel by embarking on arbitrary increases in the prices of goods, most especially food items and other consumables.
The Director reiterated the determination of FCCPC towards protecting the consumers from extortion and other market irregularities in the country.
Mrs Adeyinka explained that the exercise would be carried out in other open markets nationwide.
On his part, the Chairman of the Market Association, Mr Danlami Gimba attributed multiple taxation, increase in fuel pump price and transportation as some of the factors responsible for the high prices of goods in the market.
Mr Gimba who commended FCCPC for the fact findings appealed to the Federal Government to consider the reduction in fuel pump price towards ensuring reduction in prices of commodities in the market.
Some of the traders in the market complained that the hike of food was because of the high cost of transportation.
A maize seller, Esther Ajah, a mother of 7 children said since the Federal Government removed subsidies which resulted in an increase in fuel price, transporting their goods from one place to another, prices of foodstuffs also increased.
She said transporters charge N5,000 per bag from Niger State compared to before when it was N2,500 that’s why they also increased their wares in the market.
“We hardly get customers these days because a lot of them are complaining that the goods are too expensive,” she said.
She said because customers hardly come to buy from her she finds it difficult to survive with her children as her husband, a driver, hardly makes ends meet.
She called on the federal government to find a lasting solution to the hike of fuel because it is causing hardship for them.
