As Christians all over the world celebrate Christmas today, December 25th, Nigerians have continued to groan over high inflation rate, especially prices of food stuffs.
The prices of Chicken, Rice and condiments which are the major requirements during festive period have become unaffordable for an average Nigerian.
A short survey around foodstuff markets in Lagos revealed that a 50kg bag of Nigerian rice now sells for between N56,000- N64,000 while 50kg bag of foreign rice sells for N66,000- N72,000.
For chicken prices varies from between N15,000- N25,000 depending on the location, the breed and the size.
At the Ogba retail market, many customers were sighted moving from one axis of the market to the other wearing long faces.
A woman who identified herself as Folukemi Faniyi lamented the high cost of foodstuffs.
She said, ” I don’t understand what to buy again when you pick the regular brand and hear the price infact nobody will tell u to drop it and look for cheaper brand”
“My plan was to buy half bag of rice but immediately the guy said N70k, I knew unless I want to eat the rice with water I have to buy quarter bag so i can still have money for condiments.
Another angry customer seen carrying a live broiler chicken who identified himself simply as Mr Ajayi said;
” I gave my wife N20,000 to come and buy 2 Chicken For Christmas and New year, she said it was not enough I came to the market myself , lo and behold i bought this chicken you are seeing for N20,000
” I don’t understand where we are going in this country again honestly
“How long will this continue because by January schools will resume we will now start thinking of how to pay school fees with empty stomachs.
A quick stop at some frozen food shop in Ogba axis saw an influx of people buying frozen chicken as alternative to live chicken.
Another woman, Mrs Chinyere Onyekachi spoke in the same vein declaring that”honestly I am fed up things can’t continue this way there’s nothing that is affordable.
“I have been walking around this market for over 1hr still I can’t decide on what to buy everything is on the high side
” imagine Ugwu that use to be N300 Is now N600, Ogbono na rich man food even okporoko head wey dem dey pack N50 now na N300- N500
” Government no do us well at all, I don tire, even to buy frozen food na die, kilo of turkey now na N5,500 and chicken na N3,800 vegetable oil na N7,000 no be sealed one oo”
A woman who claimed to be a poultry farmer, when asked while the prices of Chicken and eggs have skyrocketed, she lamented the high cost of Chicken feed and transportation to move the products from farm to market.
“You know why, price of one bag of feeds for chicken de go up everyday, now the price na N17,000.00 imagine how many Bags the chickens go
“If we start to de buy feeds from next year for N20,000.00 for one bag expect to buy crates of eggs for 4,000
Recall that inflation rate increased to 28.2 per cent in November showing a 0.87 per cent points increase over the 27.33 per cent recorded in October.
