Hawzah News Agency-In view of the rising cost of foodstuffs, Niger State government has flagged off sales of food items to the open market with a 50 % subsidy on every food item.

The move was to crush the prices of food items in the markets with the intention of enabling those in the remote villages to get palliatives from the biting economy.

The Acting Governor Ahmed Mohammad Ketso who flagged off the sale of grains at government controlled price in Minna directed security agencies and stakeholders to monitor the exercise at the ward levels to ensure strict compliance with government approved prices.

According to him , the grains including rice, beans and millets will be sold in ‘mudu’ measurement at half the price of the same measurement in markets within the state and that  the ‘mudu’ measurement of rice which is sold in the open market at the rate of N600 and above will be sold by government at the rate of N300.

While urging those charged with the responsibility of distributing the items to be honest and transparent in their conduct, he stated that government can no longer fold its arms and watch shylock traders extort ordinary citizens with exorbitant prices of food items.

“It is immoral for traders to embark on shoddy price deals during this period,” he stated adding that they are worried because many households hardly afford basic food items hence the need for the palliatives.

End.