Akwa Ibom government begins direct sales of garri to civil servants as food prices soar

The Akwa Ibom state government has commenced the direct sales of garri, major staple food to civil servants as the prices of foodstuff continue to soar.

According to checks, despite the emphasis on agriculture by the state, the high cost of food items has hit the state.

Selling the product at the Ministry of Agriculture Grounds, Idongesit Nkanaga Secretariat, Uyo, the commissioner for Agriculture, Glory Edet took charge of the exercise which was witnessed by other top government officials.

She said the exercise was in fulfilment of the promise made during an interactive session with traders and Market leaders in the State, Wednesday.

According to Edet, “whenever we speak, we back up with action. The Governor has done so well through the Ministry of Agriculture. He has been giving inputs to farmers. If we give an improved cassava stem, the output is garri. The idea behind the Government’s huge investment in Agriculture is to ensure that 80% of food consumed will be produced in the State.

She recalled that the interactive session was a success as traders, market leaders and the various market union leaders agreed to cooperate with the Government by reducing the price of garri and other commodities in the open market for people to sell their farm produce so as to make food affordable to the people.

Special assistant to the Governor on Trade and Market Matters, Idorenyin Raphael appreciated Governor Udom Emmanuel for creating the enabling environment by constructing markets, issuance of free interest loans to traders, appointing traders into his cabinet.

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Idorenyin stated that the market leaders have agreed to open the market for everyone to sell their food products to avert food scarcity, adding that any attempt to stop them will attract penalty from appropriate quarters.

The exercise featured the symbolic sale of garri by the Commissioner for Agriculture, Glory Edet to members of the public at One Hundred Naira for three cups.

Three cups of garri were being sold for N100 as against one cup for N100 by traders in the state.

The exercise which took place Wednesday followed an enlarged interactive meeting with key traders and market union leaders in attendance.

The meeting which held at Governor’s Office Annex, Wellington Bassey Way, Uyo, also had in attendance the Commissioner for Trade and Investment, Ukpong Akpabio as well as Permanent Secretaries and Directors of the two Ministries and market leaders drawn from across the State.

In her address during the event, Glory Edet said that the meeting became necessary as part of efforts by the state government towards making the state food sufficient.

She said the state government has been touched by the plight of the populace brought about by the slight increment in the price of garri and other food commodities and has swung into action to ameliorate the unsavoury situation.

She advised the traders and market leaders not to prevent traders and farmers from bringing their items to sell in the markets at will, especially garri as one of the most commonly-used commodity/staple food in the state.

She condemned the situation where different unions prevent people from selling, sharing them into days thereby creating artificial scarcity. She also promised them that unnecessary giving of tickets would be looked into based on the traders’ complain

In his remarks, the Commissioner for Trade and Investment, Ukpong Akpabio described the parley as critical towards the Governor’s food sufficiency drive.

Akpabio appealed to market leaders to cooperate with the government to ensure that food is made both sufficient, affordable and accessible to all Akwa Ibom persons.

Earlier in his remarks, the Special Assistant to the Governor on Trade and Market Matters, Idorenyin Raphael thanked Governor Udom Emmanuel for the interest-free loans given to traders, the appointment of traders as special assistants As and for his investments in the Agriculture sector of the State, noting that tangible dividends of such investments are already being felt across the state.

Raphael frowned at the illegal activities allegedly perpetrated by most market union leaders which he said was responsible for the recent hike in the price of garri and other food commodities and urged them to desist from such evil act forthwith or be prepared to face the consequences.

While many have expressed mixed feelings over the exercise, others have seen it as a last-ditch effort to curb spiralling inflation that has resulted in the high cost of food items.