High Cost of Items: Taraba Govt Holds Meeting With Stakeholders
By Tanko Bauka
Worried by the increasing cost of food items and other services, the Taraba State government has convened an interface with leaders of various traders and associations in the state to find ways of addressing the problems for the benefit of the citizenry.
The meeting took place at the Conference Hall of the Bureau for Local Government, Traditions and Chieftaincy Affairs in Jalingo, the State capital.
Recent findings by Echo Express indicate continued rise in the prices of basic foodstuffs such as rice, beans, yam and potatoes among others as well as transportation fares in the state.
The reasons advanced for such sharp increases are inflation, supply chain disruption as well as poor agricultural yields and the high price of fuel.
As reasonable as the above explanations may sound, it is also important to note that most of these items are locally produced in the state.
In its determination to find relief for the citizens inline with desire of Governor Agbu Kefas, the Taraba State Commissioner for Commerce, Trade and Industries, Hon Peter George convened a meeting with leaders of various traders associations and other services providers to discuss possible ways to ameliorate the situation.
At the end of the stakeholders interface, the Commissioner said in as much as the state government sympathizes with the traders over the condition they find themselves, the plight of the people remains the top priority of Governor Agbu Kefas..
According to Hon Peter George, the meeting became imperative because the situation calls for serious concern as the prices of essential commodities differ from what is obtained in nearby states.
He stressed that as a responsible government, it cannot sit and watch the ugly trend taking its toll on the people of the state.
He therefore appealed to the leaders of the traders and other associations to consider the hardships the people are going through and see reason with the state government by reducing the prices of their products and services.
The Commissioner also used the forum to remind the leadership of all the various unions to endeavor to pay up their taxes to enable the government carry out some of its people oriented projects that have direct bearings on the lives of the people.
He reminded the stakeholders about some of the giants strides of the Governor, which includes free Education Policy, revamping of the health sector , revolution in the agricultural sector and the remarkable improvements in the security architecture of the state among others.
Also speaking, the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, Dr Isa Mohammed Hamza, said the meeting which was summoned at the instance of the Commissioner, could not have come at a better time than now as government is looking at possible ways of addressing the high cost of goods and services in the state which he said is giving the government sleepless nights.
In their various comments shortly after the stakeholders interface, the Coordinator of the Road Transport Workers Union, heavy duty branch, Alhaji Mohammed Danladi, the State Chairman of the Small Scale industrialists who is also the acting Chairman of Miners Association, Hon Soja Dantanimu and the State Secretary of the Tricycle and Motorcycle Association of Nigeria, Comrade Abdullahi Bello all lauded the state government especially the Commissioner for the initiative, assuring that they will step down all what transpired during the meeting to their members to deliberate on how best to approach the issues.
