By Grace Samuel
The Yobe State Government is taking action to prevent businessmen and middlemen in the state from hoarding grains and other essential commodities.
This is an effort to address the problem of food scarcity and high prices caused by unscrupulous businessmen in the state.
This comes days after President Bola Tinibu directed the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security to release about 42,000 metric tons of maize, millet, and other commodities in strategic reserves to address the rising cost of food in the country.
Commissioner for Home Affairs, Information and Culture, Abdullahi Bego, revealed this during a press conference at the conclusion of a meeting convened by Governor Mala Buni to discuss the current high cost of living in the state.
Buni decried the practice of hoarding grains and other essential commodities in the state with a view to creating artificial scarcity and hiking their prices by those involved in the business of grains.
He stated that strict surveillance will be imposed on the purchase and transportation of substantial amounts of grains outside the state as a measure aimed to prevent speculators and hoarders from exploiting Yobe markets to create artificial scarcity, which could worsen food insecurity in the nation.
The governor also reassured residents that it will soon implement specific actions to mitigate the impact of the increasing prices of food and other essential goods.
