Residents of Awka, the Anambra capital city, lament the hike in prices of foodstuff amid worsening hardships.

On Thursday in Awka, residents expressed total dismay over the continued high cost of living.

Chioma Beluchukwu, a pretty trader who operates in a street market, said that the hike in food prices was overwhelming.

She called on government agencies on markets and price regulations to be active and ensure that traders do not increase the prices of items with impunity.

According to Ms Beluchukwu, one can hardly buy reasonable wares with N200,000 to stock in shops.

Ms Beluchukwu said that the cost of items rises daily without any form of price regulation.

“Government agency on price control should be activated to monitor traders who sell old wares as new consignment. The government should be able to regulate the prices of basic food items to avoid arbitrary increases.

“Items like milk, sugar, biscuits, bread, eggs, amongst others, need to be well monitored before hunger and death toll set in,” she warned.

Mr Beluchukwu said a roll of sachet milk now costs N1,200 compared to N600 in December.

According to her, a cartoon of cabin biscuits is N7,500 against the old price of N4,000, with a pack going for N700 against between N400 and N500.

Nkechi Nwaokoye, a restaurant operator, said items like meat, fish, crayfish, Maggi, and spices are now for the rich.

Ms Nwaokoye said that the hike was nearly pushing her out of business because no customer would visit her shop if the food was not tasty.

“To make a good commercial pot of soup or stew now, you have to budget N30,000, excluding the cost to buy rice, semolina, beans and other needed items,” she stated.

She said that the hike has made the business less rewarding as they hardly make ends meet after sales.

“It is really hard for food vendors who have tasked the government to intervene in any possible way,” she appealed.

Ngozi Onyibor said with the continued hike in food items, further delay by the government to force down prices could breed criminals.

She said that the economy is making life unbearable for many people.

Mr Martin Abana, a meat seller at Kwata Market, complained of low patronage caused by the high cost of livestock.

Another trader, Grace Anagor, expressed regret over the current situation while comparing the recent prices of foodstuffs with those of past years.

Ms Anagor said that a bag of rice sold for between N48,000 and N50,000 now goes for N55,000 to N60,000.

She said a custard bucket of garri sold for N1,200 in 2023 now goes for N2,000.

Ms Anagor said a paint’s measure of beans is sold for N3,800 while a cup of beans is sold for N200 to N300, depending on the grade.

Patricia Okoye, a vegetable and palm oil seller, said despite increasing major food items, people are still patronising her.

Ms Okoye said her wares are locally sourced from her farmland, so the logistics cost she spends to transport wares to market is less than those of major food dealers.

She attributed the hike currently facing the traders and buyers to insecurity in the country as many farmers have resorted to other means of livelihood for fear of being attacked in their farms.

Ms Okoye appealed to the government to work hard to tame insecurity challenges in the country so that products and other goods can be transported across the country.

Chibuzo Okeke said many people cannot afford three meals a day, attributing the high cost of foodstuff to transportation and attacks on farmers.

He feared that the situation would worsen if relevant authorities did nothing.

“The free-falling value of the naira is also key to the hardship experienced by common Nigerians,” he said. 

(NAN)