Governor Dapo Abiodun of Ogun State announced on Thursday a plan to activate its bulk state government’s purchase system as a means of controlling the price of commodities in the state.
Mr Abiodun said this during a meeting with market leaders, led by the Iyaloja General, Yemisi Abass, in Abeokuta, the state capital.
He said that henceforth, all forms of market levies had been suspended, but only development and environmental levies would be allowed, as they were meant for the development of markets in the state.
The governor said that the state government would soon begin the operation of its Bulk Purchasing Company to control the incessant increases in the price of commodities.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the Bulk Purchasing Company has been rebranded as the Gateway Trading Company, to ensure that the cost of food items is much more affordable for the people.
He, however, hinted that the Gateway Trading Company would, in the first instance, begin operations in the four zones of the state.
“We have also resolved that we will begin the implementation of bulk purchase and selling in the state.
“Gateway Trading will now assist in bringing food items to our teeming public at prices that will be significantly below what they can obtain when they go to the market themselves.
“So, we are going to aggressively implement our Gateway Trading objectives. They will first start in the four zones; they will buy in bulk and resell at prices that will be more affordable to our people,” Mr Abiodun said.
The governor, who announced a ban on all forms of levies in markets in the state, added that a market enforcement task force with a central body would be mirrored in all 20 local government areas.
He said that all forms of coercion and intimidation by people who added no value to markets across the state would be stamped out.
Mr Abiodun warned that anyone caught collecting illegal fees in the markets would face the full wrath of the law.
“We have resolved here that we are going to have a market enforcement task force; there will be a central body here in the state.
“That central body will be mirrored in each local government. Their job will be to ensure that all illegal levies, coercion, and intimidation by different people do not occur again.
“This is not the time for anyone to take advantage of another person. We are going through a transition period; we should be our brother’s keeper, considerate, and humane,” he said.
The governor said that his administration would be providing support, in the form of grants, loans, and farm implements to different farmer associations in the state.
He said that the Ministry of Environment, Ogun State Waste Management Agency, and the Ministry of Women Affairs, would work together to ensure the effective management of waste in the markets.
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Earlier in her remarks, Abass, the President of Market Women and Men in the state, commended the governor for deeming it fit to call market leaders together, to deliberate on ways to make life more bearable for the people.
She promised that the market leaders and members would abide by all the resolutions reached at the meeting. (NAN)
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