Families groan as prices of food items soar in A/Ibom

Rising cost of basic food items since the beginning of the year has thrown families in Akwa Ibom State into great discomfort, causing some families to shift earlier planned social engagements including marriages and burial ceremonies. While no food item is spared, major ones like rice, yam, palm oil, beans as well as beverages- milk and sugar are going out of the reach of many in predominantly civil service state. Checks revealed that a

While no food item is spared, major ones like rice, yam, palm oil, beans as well as beverages- milk and sugar are going out of the reach of many in predominantly civil service state. Checks revealed that a 10 litre keg of palm oil used in most homes for cooking has risen from N6, 500 in May this year, to N15, 500, as at the time of filing in this report. Similarly, a 50 kg bag of rice which sold for N12,000 late last year, now goes for N25, 000 (irrespective of the brand) while a bag of garri has skyrocketed to N20,000, from N8,000, a year ago. Also, a sizeable tuber of yam which sold between N300 and N400 depending on location of purchase, now sells for N800. Most residents, including housewives, who spoke with Cityfile, expressed

Most residents, including housewives, who spoke with Cityfile, expressed frustration, saying they are forced to skip meals. “Food items have gone out of reach. I cannot imagine why five cups of garri which I bought a year ago for N100 would sell for N200,’’ said a 26-year-old housewife. Checks further showed that it is not only in the state capital that the prices of food items have gone up. The situation is the same in major towns like Eket, Ikot Ekpene, Ikot Abasi,

Checks further showed that it is not only in the state capital that the prices of food items have gone up. The situation is the same in major towns like Eket, Ikot Ekpene, Ikot Abasi, Itu and Oron. According to Okon Essien, a tricycle operator in Uyo, providing meals to his family of five has become a big task as the little money he makes daily is no longer enough to take care of the family needs. “I really do not know how I am surviving. My daily earning from the tricycle business is barely enough due to the high cost of foodstuffs,’’ Essien lamented. For those planning events like marriages and burials, it requires

”I really do not know how I am surviving. My daily earning from the tricycle business is barely enough due to the high cost of foodstuffs,’’ Essien lamented. For those planning events like marriages and burials, it requires

For those planning events like marriages and burials, it requires extra budget to take care of the huge number of persons expected in such ceremonies. According to 58- year-old-mother of three whose first son is taking a wife, they have had to shift the marriage twice as money budgeted for entertainment was discovered to be inadequate to take care of the crowd expected to grace the ceremony.

“We have postponed twice. But now we really want to go ahead because rather than falling, prices of basic food items keep rising. We do not think we should shift the November date again,” said the woman who asked for her name not to be in print.

She called on the state and federal governments to take urgent measures to reverse the situation, adding that many families are also finding it difficult to meet their obligations to their children who are in school.