Residents of Ikole-Ekiti have expressed concerns about the rising prices of raw food items sold by vendors, claiming that the vendors are exploiting the current economic situation to inflate the cost of their goods.
A resident, Amos Ogunjobi, a retired teacher, said food prices in the area were high and had become unaffordable for him.
Ogunjobi expressed concern that many food vendors were deliberately inflating the prices of vegetables, beans, rice, and other food items to make unfair profits.
“The cost of food in Ikole-Ekiti has become too expensive for us to afford.
“Many of the food sellers often complain of cost of transportation being the cause of the inflation.
“The association of food sellers is not helping the situation, they control the price locally, thereby making the cost of food unaffordable for us,” he said.
Ogunjobi appealed to the governor to curb the greedy attitude of the Food Sellers Association and the abnormal inflation.
Iyabo Aina also shared her struggles with the rising food prices in Ikole-Ekiti, explaining that staple food items like beans and rice were becoming unaffordable for the average income earner. Aina noted that her business had suffered as a result, she appealed to Mr. Oyebanji to mitigate the impact of inflation on food by dismantling all existing food associations that are driving up food prices in Ekiti.
“It has become very important for our benevolent Governor, Mr. Biodun Oyebanji, to eradicate the raw food associations that are making food prices unaffordable for Ekiti residents and locals.
“I sell clothes, many people do not buy clothes, everyone is saving money to buy food to survive,” she said.
Yinka Oladele, a carpenter, and Funmilayo Ayayi, a vegetable seller, also said food prices have become too high due to increased transportation.
They called on the Federal and State governments to work together to regulate petrol prices and introduce price control policies to curb food inflation in the market.
