Owerri Citizens Call for Immediate Establishment of Marketing Board

Residents of Owerri, the capital of Imo State, are voicing their concerns over the skyrocketing prices of food and essential goods, calling on Governor Hope Uzodinma to fulfill his long-delayed promise of creating the Imo State Marketing and Commodity Board.

The rising cost of food has left many families struggling, with the removal of fuel subsidies by the federal government adding to the burden. Fuel prices have surged above N1,000 per liter, triggering a chain reaction of price hikes in transportation, housing, and other vital services.

Speaking with our correspondent, several residents expressed their frustration, noting that the economic strain worsened after the federal government’s decision to remove fuel subsidies. Transportation costs have soared, house rents have spiked, and the price of everyday goods has become increasingly unaffordable.

During a stakeholders’ meeting in July 2023, Governor Uzodinma assured citizens that the establishment of the Imo State Marketing and Commodity Board would help stabilize food prices and protect consumers from exploitation by traders. The Governor promised that low-cost markets would be set up across the 27 local government areas of the state to ensure that food and essential items would remain affordable for the masses.

“I have discovered with pain, how traders are taking advantage of the economic situation to increase the prices of food items in the market,” the Governor had stated. “We shall soon establish the Imo State Marketing and Commodity Board, which will ensure food items are sold at normal prices.”

However, over a year later, the promised board has not materialized, and food prices continue to climb, leaving many Imo residents feeling betrayed. The absence of the board has been especially disappointing now that newly elected local government officials are in office, as many had hoped the projects would move forward under their supervision.

Mr. Reginald Iwuoha, a businessman in Owerri, shared his disappointment: “We were full of hope when the Governor made that promise, but it’s been over a year, and nothing has been done. People are suffering. If the Marketing and Commodity Board had been established, it would have helped regulate food prices and ease the burden on us.”

The hardship is acutely felt by ordinary families. Mrs. Adanna Uka, a mother of four, expressed her frustration at Relief Market in Owerri: “I can barely feed my children, let alone pay their school fees. A bag of rice now sells for over N95,000. How do they expect us to survive? The government must intervene immediately.”

Traders are also feeling the pinch. Cosmas Ibe, a trader at World Bank Market, explained that the fuel subsidy removal has doubled transportation costs, forcing sellers to increase their prices. “If the government had set up those market clusters as promised, we wouldn’t be facing these problems,” he said.

As the cost of living continues to climb, many residents are calling on Governor Uzodinma to make good on his pledge. Experts argue that the creation of the Imo Marketing and Commodity Board is vital for alleviating the economic hardship currently gripping the state. With the reconstitution of other state boards recently announced, citizens are questioning why the Commodity Board has not been prioritized, urging the state government to take immediate action to provide relief.