News Editor
By David Odama
Niger state government has taken a major step to end hunger and starvation caused by overpricing with the establishment of an 8-man Board to monitor and control cost of food items across the state.
Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Alhaji Abubakar Usman disclosed this and other measures aimed at reducing the hardship citizens are facing shortly before inaugurating the Board in his office.
“Governor Mohammed Umaru Bago has approved the establishment of Niger State Price Control and Monitoring Board”, a statement signed by Lawal Tanko, Information Officer
SSG’s Office indicated.
Inauguration of the 8-members Niger State Price Control and Monitoring Board (NSPCMB) according to the SSG marks a significant step in the administration’s commitments to ensure equity and fairness between sellers/dealers and consumers.
As a government that cares about the wellbeing of its citizens, establishment of a Board to check excesses of sellers by regulating their pricing in order to protect consumers has become very necessary.
The Board whose activities is to take off immediately, according to the statement is expected to control and stabilize prices of essential commodities across the 25 Local Government Areas of the state by reducing or cutting off influences of middlemen whose activities cause undue rise in cost of essential goods and services.
The state government is not unaware of the menace caused by middlemen or cartel who constitute themselves between sellers and buyers for exploitative reasons, adding that it is part of the mandate of the 8-man committee to deal with any if such situations and also ensure eradication or reduce to the barest minimal hoarding of essential commodities.
The committee, according to the SSG is also empowered to quickly respond to issues that may arise in the course of discharging their duties such as enforcement of the new order and penalties to offenders/defaulters amongst several others.
The Board will also be responsible for the distribution, monitor and evaluate such essential commodities by their price, surveillance of distribution from point of purchase to final destination and as well interpret price variations in line with the developmental plans of the Bago led administration.
The SSG who however emphasized the need for the Board members to dialogue with stakeholders said, “You are expected to interface with relevant stakeholders including; Local Government Chairmen, Traditional Institutions, Councilors, Market Associations and Sarkin Kasuwan with a view to ensuring seamless and harmonious working relationship”.
Responding, the newly inaugurated Board Chairman and retired Permanent Secretary, Alhaji Hussaini Ahmed assured the state government of readiness to work according to expectations.
Other Board members included; Hamza Sarki Bello, Permanent Secretary, Investment, Aliyu Abubakar, Permanent Secretary, Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Garba Abdullahi, Ministry of Basic Education, Adamu Maikasuwa, Ministry of Agriculture and representative of Niger state police command, while Usman Liman, a retired Statistician-General will serve as Board Secretary.
