COVID-19: Inflation hits prices of food commodities in FCT

Prices of food items have shut-up in some parts of the Federal Capital Territory due to the coronavirus pandemic ravaging the globe in recent times.

A market survey conducted at Lugbe, a satellite town in Abuja, on Monday by our correspondent indicated an upsurge in prices of many staple foods.

Mr Abel Ikechukwu, who sells bags of rice, told our correspondent that the COVID-19 pandemic had really impacted on the price of rice in the FCT.

According to Ikechukwu, prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, a bag of locally produced rice was selling at N14,500 and is now N19,500.

He said the price of imported rice, previously selling between N22,000 and N23,000 now sells at N30,500.

He further said that with the government’s lockdown order, prices of food commodities would continue to rise.

Mrs Chioma Peters, a garri dealer, corroborated Ikechukwu’s view, saying COVID-19 scare was largely responsible for hike in the prices of food items in markets.

Peters said that the price of a bag of garri (fried cassava flour), hitherto selling for N13,000, now sells at N16,000.

She said that it was quite pathetic and that if the situation escalated or became prolonged, there could be untold hardship and hunger in the land.

Isah Kabiru, who sells beans, said the COVID-19 pandemic had brought hardship to the common man “as food items witnessed a price increase’’.

Kabiru said that a bag of beans, which previously sold at N16,500 now costs N18,000.

Mr Isaiah Nkereuwem, a resident of Lugbe community, said the price of everything had gone up.

“Even a bag of sachet water that we normally buy at N100 is now selling at between N120 and N150, depending on the brand,’’ Nkereuwem said.

He also said that people who hawked water in trolleys had increased their prices.

“As at this morning, I bought four containers of 25 litres at the rate of N200 as against the normal N100,’’ Nkereuwem said.