The task force set up
Wednesday by the Federal Executive Council to tackle rising cost of food items
has clarified that its assignment is “not about government intervening directly
in the market for staple foods either though purchases or price fixing.”
The task force set up Wednesday by the Federal Executive Council to tackle rising cost of food items has clarified that its assignment is “not about government intervening directly in the market for staple foods either though purchases or price fixing.”
The task force
clarified this at the Aso Rock Presidential Villa in Abuja yesterday during its
inaugural meeting presided over by Acting President Yemi Osinbajo.
The Senior Special
Assistant to the Vice President on Media and Publicity, Laolu Akande, in a
statement, quoted the task force as making the clarification at its meeting
yesterday.
The taskforce,
comprising the ministers of Finance, Agriculture, Water Resources and
Transportation, is expected to report back to the Federal Executive Council
next week for “concrete actions”.
Akande said yesterday’s
meeting focused on understanding all factors contributing to unduly high food
prices, especially at urban markets throughout the country.
He said the meeting
also considered ways of urgently ameliorating the situation, particularly by
addressing issues of affordability and availability.
He said the meeting
identified factors that were most likely driving high food prices in some parts
of the country despite bumper harvests at many farms.
He listed some of the
factors identified as the poor state of rural infrastructure like roads,
multiple revenue collecting points on the highways and inadequacy of
distribution networks.
He also disclosed that
the task force would be coordinating various ministries, departments and
agencies.
Daily trust
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