Weeks after, many traders and marketers of food stuff and other essential commodities across Bauchi state are yet to comply with the price reduction order, the government negotiated with them to cushion the hardship caused by Covid-19 lockdown.
Earlier in the month, the state Task Force on Covid-19 met with representatives of markets associations in the state and secured their commitment to reduce the prices of food stuff and other essential commodities.
However, investigation by this medium in major markets within Bauchi metropolis and other major towns in the state such as Toro, Azare and Misau showed that the prices of the said commodities remain unchanged, except sugar the reduction in price of which is not linked to the government order.
The government secured the price reduction on five commodities including Rice (locally produced), Millet, Palm Oil, Sugar and Meat, believed to be the staple food items and therefore on high demand.
Based on the agreement, the price of a 50kg bag of rice was reviewed downward by NGN500 from NGN18,000 to NGN17,500 while the price of a 50kg bag of sugar from NGN22,000 to NGN17,000- a reduction of NGN5,000.
Others are a bag of 100kg millet from from NGN12,500 to NGN12,000, a Jerrycan of Palm oil from NGN9,500 to NGN9,000 and a kilogram of Meat from NGN1,250 to NGN1,200.
A press statement to that effect was released by the government, while representatives of the marketers present at the meeting were to communicate the decision to their members across the state.
The government intervention then might not be unconnected to the astronomical increase in the prices of these commodities which rose by about 30% as a result of Covid-19 lockdown.
However three weeks after, a check in the three major markets within the state capital showed that marketers did not generally comply with the directive, with many of them claiming ignorance of the arrangement.
Markets visited include Muda Lawal, Wunti and Bauchi Central as well as phone calls to several major dealers/marketers in Azare, Misau and Toro (TildenFulani) towns.
In all these locations visited, the prices of a 50kg bag of locally produced rice ranged from NGN16,500 to NGN19,000 depending on the grade.
When asked how they effected the price reduction on the bags of the different grades of local rice, the traders spoken to said they were not party to the agreement, neither where they officially informed by leaders of their associations.
For instance, at Bauchi Central Market a major dealer in Rice, Floor, Sugar and Seasonings Mai ZanenGoshi claimed that he was neither notified nor was he involved in the meeting that led to the said price reduction.
Another marketer Alhaji Danjuma Usman said there was no any change in the price of bag of rice since the pronouncement. According to him, the prices range from NGN16,000 to NGN18,000 depending on the grade. He however, acknowledged the reduction in the price of bag of Sugar by over NGN5,000 from NGN22, 500 to NGN17,000. He attributed the price reduction on the bag of sugar to the happenings in Kano state.
Similarly, the Wunti Market Rice Sellers Cooperative Society said they were neither part of the negotiation nor were they notified of the decisions.
Consequently, chairman of the society Abdullahi Sani explained that his members have not implemented the price reduction order.
There is however appreciable level of compliance among butchers and palm oil sellers in all the three major markets visited. The duo reduced NGN50 and NGN500 on every kilo of meat and jerrycan of palm oil as demanded by the government.
A palm oil seller Awwalu Mai Manjaand two butchersYusuf Dille Mai Nama and Balarabe Shehu Yan Hanji all in Muda Lawal Market confirmed to this medium that their unions notified them of the decisions and have effected same on the prices of their commodities.
The situation in major LGAs
The situation in Toro, Misau and Azare local government areas is virtually the same with those of Bauchi Central, Wunti and Muda Lawal markets, where the price of bag of locally produced rice remain unchanged even after the government intervention.
A major marketer in Tilden Fulani of Toro local government Alhaji Abdulrahman Garba who owns Abu Mujahid Storestold this medium that decisions reached between the government and the marketers was not communicated to them.
Alhaji Garba however acknowledged that there was appreciable reduction in the price of a bag of sugar which came down from NGN22,000 to NGN17,500. When asked if the development was connected to the government intervention, Alhaji Garba contradicted the claim, stating that the reduction was attributable to a crackdown on sugar dealers by Kano State Government.
In Misau, a popular dealer in rice MammanPawari claimed that he was not notified of any decision by the state government and the traders union for reduction in the price of bags of locally produced rice. Pawari maintained that, the price of bags of rice remained unchanged ranging from NGN16,500 to NGN19,000 in accordance with the quality of the product.
In Azare, the second largest town in the state a major dealer in palm and vegetable oil AminuIsah and a dealer in locally produced rice Alhaji Kabiru Mai Filawa confirmed to this medium in a telephone chat that they not informed of the government price reduction initiative.
Difficulty in sourcing the commodity responsible for partial compliance-Marketers
Reacting to findings by this medium, Chairman of Amalgamated Unionsand associations of Traders and Artisans in the state Alhaji Abdullahi Muhammed (Abdullah Caps) acknowledged that many members of the amalgamation did not comply with the order.
Abdallah Caps attributed the problem to the difficulty in sourcing the materials due to lockdowns and high cost of transportation.
“Traders are at liberty to sell their goods at a price they deem fit since the capital, the shop and energy committed into the venture are all theirs. We as a union however, is calling on them to respect that agreement reached with the government considering the difficulty people found themselves because of the current pandemic”, remarked Abdallah Caps.
On whether the union notified members across the state, Abdallah Caps said the meeting was attended by over twenty representatives of unions and associations in the market sector, and that the agreement was for them to communicate the decisions to their members.
Senior Special Assistant to the Bauchi State Governor on Media Mukhtar Gidado when contacted said he was just being notified of the situation and that government was going to contact the traders again for further discussions.
This report written by Nura Bashir was facilitated by Wole Soyinka Centre for investigative Journalism (WSCIJ) under its Covid-19 Reality Check Project
