The chairman of the Kano Public Complaint and Anti Corruption Commission, Muhuyi Rimingado, has signed an agreement with the Rice Processors Association of Nigeria, RIPAN on selling the bag of rice at N16,000 retail price as a means of controlling inflation in the state.
Briefing newsmen after a meeting with the rice processors, Mr Rimingado disclosed that an agreement had been reached at the meeting that 30 trailers of rice be supplied to some selected supermarkets in the state on weekly basis in order to make the product available to the public during the lockdown period.
He also disclosed that part of their agreement with the rice processors was to sell the product at N15,500 to the supermarkets who would then sell to the public at N16,000.
Mr Rimingado explained that the meeting noted an increase in the price of paddy by 36% since February, a reason which might have encouraged the hike in price of rice in the state.
“We had a meeting with the Rice Processors Association to see how to resolve the artificial inflation in the price of the product in the state.
“Because of this COVID-19 they will be giving bout 30 trailers of rice to supermarkets in the state. The supermarkets will be receiving the goods at the rate of N15,500 and will not sell more than N16,000. Hence the Supermarket owners will be buying rice directly from the processors to avoid hoarding of the product and subsequent inflation. This is the proposal of the commission.
“They can continue their businesses with other traders and wholesalers but we have created a window to control hoarding and inflation in this period of lockdown” he stated.
On his part, the chairman of RIPAN, Kano branch, Muhammad Abubakar, affirmed that they had reached agreement with the Anti-graft agency and would sell their product to directly to outlets to avoid inflation.
He also called on the government to create a way for them to access the paddy rice in order to make the product available in markets.
“We have agreed that we get a direct outlet to sell the product to avoid the inflation
“We complained that the paddy markets have closed and is difficult to access it
“We called on the govt to create a window for them to access the paddy rice in order to make the product available in the market” the chairman said.
Recall that the state governor, Abdullahi Ganduje, had met with Aliko Dangote and Abdussamad Isyaku-Rabiu on why the prices of essential commodities, especially rice and sugar during Ramadan season.
The governor then directed Mr Rimingado to meet with leaders of Singer Market to review the price, who eventually signed an agreement on May 5 with the traders of Singer market to reduce the prices and stop hoarding the commodities.
DAILY NIGERIAN reports that the prices of sugar and rice had been reduced to 18,000 and N16,000 per bag, as against N30, 000 and 25,000 respectively.
