Some traders in Ikorodu have bemoaned the increase in price of commodities owing to fuel scarcity in the state.
Speaking to our correspondent on Monday, traders at the Asejere Ultra Modern Market noted the hike in the prices of commodities between last week and this week that the fuel scarcity has been on.
Chinansa Victor, who sells staple foods in the market, said that purchasing food items has not only become more expensive but scarce as well.
“I took money to the market to buy 15 bags of rice, I only came back with 3 bags; they were not ready to sell despite the fact that I had my money with me. Even what I bought had increased price since the scarcity began.
“The big rice that used to sell for 30,000 now sells for 33,000. The small rice that sold for 27,500 last week now sells for 28,000. Rice is the most hit of all food prices in the market.
“Beans also increased as it used to sell for 64,000 but now beans now sells for 65,000. Garri, before the whole scarcity sold for 13,500 now 14,500. Things are increasing and they do not look as though they will come down,” Victor said.
Sanni sells onions in a truck in the market, and when our correspondent met with him to enquire about the impact of the fuel scarcity on his business, he noted the price of a bag of onions has also taken a hike.
“A bag of onions at Mile 12 market used to sell for 30,31,000 now sells for 33,34,000. It has increased,” he said.
However, Mrs. Gloria Akpan who sells palm oil and groundnut oil in the market noted that her goods are still the same in terms of price but she is expecting an increase very soon as typical of the scarcity season.
She advised all residents to come and get their goods before the prices take a drastic increase as a result of the scarcity.
She said. “The price is still the same. A bottle of oil still sells for 800. But definitely, it will increase. If you can remember, the last time the scarcity came, it increased the price of palm oil, and ever since then, it has not come down. So, I am expecting the same.
“It will be best, in anticipation of such, that people come and get their goods and have it stored in their houses, because definitely, very soon, it will increase.”
Our correspondent carried out an observation of some filling stations in Ikorodu and discovered that some filling stations were closed while some had minimal queue waiting to get fuel.
