The residents of Ido-Ekiti on Thursday appealed to the Federal Government to implement a price control policy to reduce the cost of food, drugs and essential commodities.
A cross-section of residents of the community, who spoke with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Ido-Ekiti, said the cost of living in Nigeria had become unbearable.
One of the residents, Bolaji Farouk, a tailor, said the hike in prices of raw materials was too expensive for an average Nigerian. Farouk urged the federal government to engage relevant stakeholders, to regulate prices of food items and essential products.
According to him, many of the clothing materials, and sowing machines are too expensive to afford by most of our members in Tailors Association.
“The high cost of food, drugs, essential commodities, and raw materials needs to be addressed by the federal government.
“I pray that God will grant President Bola Tinubu wisdom to pilot the affairs of our dear country,” he said.
Also, Foluke Ajayi, a civil servant and resident of the community, appealed to President Tinubu to implement price control to ease the suffering of Nigerians.
Ajayi explained that whenever the federal government increased the minimum wage, prices of food and essential goods would also increase. He, therefore, appealed to Tinubu to focus on making the cost of living comfortable for the citizens. Similarly, a leader of the community, Chief Jacob Aina, said the price of food, which an average Nigerian needed to survive, was too expensive to buy in the market.
Aina explained that most of the people living within the community were finding it difficult to eat three square meals a day, due to the hike in prices of food. He appealed to the federal government to initiate a price control policy to curb inflation of goods, food and essential commodities in Nigeria.
Also, a resident, Godwin Lawal, an automobile mechanic, said the cost of motor parts was exorbitant as most commercial and private users found them difficult to buy. Lawal said that due to a lack of price control policy, many dealers of motor parts, and raw food, have increased their prices.
“I can decide to start selling motor parts and I will sell at any rate that suit me and nobody will query me.
“That is what most Nigerians are doing, some motor parts are not as expensive as they are, but because the current price of petrol has affected the cost of transportation, the dealers are increasing the prices of their goods.
“But as soon as the federal government introduced price control policy, import duty, taxes will be reviewed and price of food, goods and essential commodities will be affordable for Nigerians,” he stated.
Lawal prayed to God to grant President Bola Tinubu wisdom on how to make the cost of essential needs affordable for the citizens.