Some residents of Dutse in Jigawa, on Thursday, lauded the Federal Government for its decision to inaugurate a task force that would check the rising cost of food in the market.
The residents, who spoke to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Dutse, said that the government’s action showed that it was in tune with the needs of the people.
NAN reports that the Federal Government’s decision to set up a task force on food security was announced on Wednesday by the Minister of Information, Lai Mohammed.
Mohammed told newsmen after the Federal Executive Council meeting that the exorbitant prices of food items in the market had become worrisome to the government.
He said that the task force on food security would also put an end to wastages that occurred, as tons of produce were on the farms rotting or in the markets wasting away.
The minister said the task force was an inter-ministerial committee made up of the Ministers of Agriculture, Finance, Water Resources and Transportation.
“The important thing is to look at what areas of intervention government can come in.
“The intervention can be in the area of subsidy in transportation, which is being worked out but this goes to show that government is very much concerned with the rising cost of food prices and we are responding to it,” he said.
Malam Kamal Salisu, a civil servant and resident of Dutse, told NAN that setting up such a task force was a well-thought out idea that would bring relief to people.
“I am amazed at the consistent rise in the prices of food items in the market, even for those commodities that have nothing to do with foreign exchange,’’ Salisu said.
He said that prices of some foodstuffs had doubled while some had tripled what it used to be two years ago.
Another resident, Adamu Nura, told NAN that the government’s decision had filled him with hope that soon, food would be available and cheap for all Nigerians.
Nura identified hoarding of food items by some traders as one of the factors responsible for the persistent rise in prices.
He urged government to caution traders to desist from hoarding, saying it was being done deliberately to cause artificial scarcity.
A housewife, Maryam Adamu, implored the Federal Government to charge the newly constituted task force to act fast and come up with solutions as soon as possible.
Adamu added that in spite of her family’s prudence to ensure that they eat three square meals a day, life remained difficult for them.
Abdullahi Atabo, another Dutse resident, said that he was elated by the government’s action because his monthly income had not been sufficient to meet his basic needs. (NAN)