Committee on causes of rising food prices not to discourage farmers –Ogbeh

The Federal Government says the inter-ministerial task force set up to address causes of increase in food prices is not to discourage farmers.

Chief Audu Ogbeh, the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, told newsmen in Abuja on Saturday that the task force would rather balance and equalise food prices across the country.

“It is intended to make transportation of agricultural goods from one place to another, given that high cost of transportation is a major cause of price increases.

“There is no attempt by the government to regulate prices because it cannot work.

“What government is worried about is the high cost of transporting commodities in some parts of the country and the lack of availability in some parts while there are surplus in some other parts.

He said the Federal Government was exploring the possibility of creating centres to enhance movement of the items from areas of production to other areas that needed them as a way of drastically reducing their eventual prices.

“Where there is a surplus of yam, the trains will move them down to other parts,’’ the minister said.

Ogbeh, also a member of the committee, expressed concern over some illegal checkpoints and revenue collectors along transportation routes for food items, saying the development also had its impacts.

According to him, the illegal payments made by transporters and producers added to the prices of the produce were major causes of the high cost of the items.

“It will take an articulated vehicle a week to move from Yola to Lagos because these illegal citizens close the road and say they are collecting revenue. It is an illegal activity.

“We have written to state governors, we have told police and some of the receipts these people issue are fake’’, he said.

He, nonetheless, assured the public that then committee was taking note of all issues in that regard.

“Government will give the framers some certain level of support but the purpose of the committee is definitely not an attempt to regulate prices, we cannot and if we try to do that, then we discourage the producers,’’ Ogbeh insisted.

He assured farmers and producers that the committee was currently working to achieve its mandate for their interest and that of Nigerians.

He also expressed concern over the dilapidating nature of roads across the country, which, in the absence of rail, had become the major source of moving items.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the Federal Government, on Feb. 1, during its Federal Executive Council meeting, set up the committee, mandating it to present a report within one week.

Other members of the committee are the Minister of Finance, Kemi Adeosun and Minister of Industry, Trade and Development, Okechukwu Enelamah; Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, Minister of Water Resources, Suleiman Adamu and Minister of Labour and Employment, Chris Ngige.