Economic Meltdown: We Are Out To Guard Against Artificial Price Hike Of Commodities – Kano Anti-graft Chairman

Economic Meltdown : We are out to guard against artificial price hike of commodities – Kano anti-graft Chairman

By Nura Musa

The chairman of the Kano State Public Complaint and Anti-Corruption Commission, Bar. Muhyi Rimingado said the commission is all out to guard against artificial price hikes of commodities to mitigate sufferings of the people.

Rimingado, who made this known while addressing a press conference at the commission’s headquarters, said it received a series of complaints from residents of the state about the hike in bread prices by bakers despite the reduction in price of flour bags and has swung into action to ascertain the genesis, whether it is artificial or other factors.

He said the commission, upon engaging the bread bakers, was informed that it initially reduced the price of bread but claimed that within two days, flour dealers increased the price of flour bags by N5,000.

He said the commission is mediating between the parties to ensure that the right thing is done and to also ensure that the price hike is not artificial in order not to put untold hardship on the people.

The chairman, however, said the commission is working round the clock to ascertain the circumstances surrounding the increment and also plans to beam it search light on other commodities in order to mitigate the sufferings of the people.

According to him, “As you rightly know, the commission has dual mandate, we are the anti-corruption agency and also the ombudsman, and it ensures that there is no hardship melted on the public.

“From last week to early this week, we received series of complains from members of the public that there is a reduction of about N12,000 in the price of bag of flour, but the bakers of bread did not follow suit by reducing the prices of bread.

“We reached out to the bread bakers, and we were made to know that they have reduced price of bread, but they also complained that within last two days the dealers increase the money (N5,000) per bag. That it was sold for around N60,000, but now N62,000 and N65,000. We intend to bring the traders and bakers together, and the commission will come in between to know what is happening.

“We always and periodical find ourself engaged in this activities because we (Nigerian society) are passing through a series of challenges and the major one is food price hike which is bedeviling the strata of the society. And we will extend it to other commodities. Because we have been gathering intelligence aftermath of measures we (the commission) have taken previously.

“We didn’t just fold our arms but we have been monitoring the situation, and we are aware that to some extent prices of commodities do change. But we are following the trend to know what is the genesis. Take for instance, that within two days, N5,000 was added in a bag of flour. Then we will ask who is doing this to the country? And what is the genesis? Is it artificial? If it is artificial, who is behind it? Because we are acting on behalf of the government based on the request of the people.

“And we will do whatever it takes within the purview of the law to make sure that we mitigate the suffering of the people even if we will engage in extraordinary measures that we use to apply before. Secondly, we will make sure we protect the rights and interest of those involved in that kind of business.

“They want to the government to act and mitigate the suffering of the people. This is what we have been doing and we have results.

“We did it recently before the month of Ramadan when we went after those hoarding essential commodities and bring down the prices of the commodities for the people, even the Federal government from the Presidency urged other state governors to emulate Kano because of what the state government through this commission did.

“We also did it during the COVID-19 pandemic and fuel scarcity. So it is something we have tested before,” Rimingado, however, maintained.