From Paul Orude, Bauchi
The Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission, FCCC has taken steps to address the hike in prices of consumer commodities in Bauchí State.
The Commission carried out surveys in major markets in Bauchi metropolis to determine the cause of hike in prices of consumer goods.
The Acting Executive Vice Chairman, Dr. Adamu Abdullahi, explained that the Commission has been engaging in evidence -based interactions with traders’ associations and marketers to find out the factors responsible for the continuous hike in food prices.
Abdullahi made this known during the Commission’s visit to Muda Lawal and Railway markets in Bauchí Metropolis.
He said the investigative mission by FCCPC was aimed at gathering information directly from the sources and stakeholders in major markets, particularly executives, market unions, sellers and consumers.
Speaking with journalists , he called on the government to stop them from that act. They should be forced to go and farm those things. Doing that will reduce pressure on consumer goods.”
The Acting Chairman, who was represented by the North East Coordinator, Waja Dauda Ahmadu, disclosed that the Commission would compile its report and advise government on how to address the hike in prices of goods.
He expressed the determination of the Commission to unlock the markets thereby addressing key consumer protection and competition issues affecting the prices of commodities in the food sector.
“FCCPC’s surveillance efforts suggest participants in the food chain and distribution sector including wholesalers and retailers are allegedly engaged in conspiracy, price gauging, hoarding and other unfair tactics to restrict or distort competition in the market, restrict the supply of food, manipulate and inflate the price of food in an indiscriminate manner,.” hr said.
The team monitored different shops at the popular Muda Lawal and Railway Station markers in Bauchi metropolis.
The Chairman of Traders at Muda Lawal market, Mikail Abubakar Garba believed that the hike in prices of grains livestock feed millers who mop up grains in trucks from farms.
“They buy in trucks and take them to their stores. In most cases they buy in large quantities that could take them for a year-round. They have access to loans to buy and keep. The competition between animal and human beings is high.,” he said.