Olatunbosun Oyintiloye, a chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Osun, has said that the cost of food items in the country was becoming worrisome and unaffordable for the masses.

Mr Oyintiloye, a member of the defunct APC Presidential Campaign Council (PCC), said this while speaking with journalists on Sunday in Osogbo.

He lamented that most households could no longer afford good meals, with many begging to survive.

“The situation on the prices of food is becoming worrisome and extremely unbearable for the masses.

“Many households can no longer afford nutritious meals, while many are begging for survival. This is pathetic and no longer bearable for the masses,” Mr Oyintiloye said.

The APC chieftain said that with food as a primary resource for human survival, “the government at every level should undertake tangible programmes to defeat hunger in the land.”

“I urge governors and the federal government to intensify efforts and to stop further increases in the cost of food items. The situation may worsen if factors leading to the increase are left unattended,” he said.

Mr Oyintiloye noted that the cost of basic foodstuffs such as rice, beans, garri, semovita, and yam flour, among others, were getting out of the reach of the masses, making them eat whatever was available.

According to him, the rise in food prices is mostly caused by insecurity, high cost of transportation, climate change and the instability in the exchange rate.

Mr Oyintiloye added that the astronomical rise in food prices had affected the purchasing power of citizens, leading to uncertainty, an increase in poverty and a high cost of living.

According to him, a recent survey by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) also confirmed that food prices have risen by over 100 per cent.

The APC chieftain said that while President Bola Tinubu-led administration was doing everything possible to bring down the food prices, many Nigerians struggled to eat three square meals.

Mr Oyintiloye said that despite the food waiver policy being implemented by the federal government and the Central Bank’s intervention to curb inflation through the monetary policy, the food prices were still on the very high side.

“The exchange rate fluctuations further exacerbate this issue, particularly affecting the prices of imported food items.

Mr Oyintiloye urged the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) to continue to uphold its mandate by protecting and promoting the interest and welfare of the consumers by enhancing quality products at competitive prices.

He also urged governments at all levels to set up markets where food could be bought at subsidised rates as a temporary measure ahead of the festive period. 

(NAN)