The Ogun state government, South West Nigeria will soon commence the operation of its Bulk Purchasing Company, which has now been rebranded as Gateway Trading Company.
The Gateway Trading Company would, in the first instance, begin operations in the four zones of the state.
The measure is aimed at controlling the increase in the prices of food items and in ensuring that the cost is made more affordable for the people.
The state Governor, Dapo Abiodun said this while meeting with market leaders in Abeokuta, the state capital.
He also disclosed plans by his administration to introduce a price control mechanism in the state.
Governor Abiodun hinted at the meeting that all forms of market levies, henceforth have been suspended, noting that only development and environmental levies will be allowed, as they are meant for the development of markets in the state.
He warned that anyone caught collecting illegal fees in markets across the state will face the full wrath of the law, adding that he will also ensure
that all exorbitant and unbearable shop and stall rents imposed on market men and women are stopped.
‘We’ve also resolved that we will begin the implementation of Bulk Purchase and Selling in the state. To that extent, the state government has rebranded our Bulk Purchase Company. It is now called Gateway Trading Board.
‘Gateway Trading will now assist in bringing food items to our teeming public at prices that will be significantly below what they can obtain when they go to the market themselves.
‘So, we are going to aggressively implement our Gateway Trading objectives. They will first start in the four zones; they will buy in bulk and resell at prices that will be more affordable to our people,’he said.
He added that a market enforcement task force with a central body in the state will be mirrored in all twenty local government areas, adding that all forms of coercion and intimidation by people who add no value to markets across the state will be stamped out.
‘A few things have been identified by way o
f illegal taxes that are being imposed right there in the market; loading taxes, discharge taxes, offloading taxes, and illegal levies in the name of different people. From now on, we are putting a ban on such illegal levies in any market in Ogun State,’ the governor said.
‘The only levies that will be allowed are what they call the Development Levy and the Environmental Levy. Those are levies that are associated with the upkeep of the market, and even those will have to be agreed upon and made public.
‘We also identified that there are people who add no value to food items coming from the farm to markets. They either, by coercion or intimidation, accost farmers and force them to sell at inflated prices.
‘We have resolved here that we are going to have a market enforcement task force; there will be a central body here in the state.
‘That central body will be mirrored in each local government. Their job will be to ensure that all illegal levies, coercion, and intimidation by different people do not occur a
gain.
‘This is not the time for anyone to take advantage of another person. We are going through a transition period; we should be our brother’s keeper, considerate, and humane.’
Governor Abiodun noted that his administration would be providing support in the form of grants, loans, and farm implements to different farmers’ associations in the state.
‘We will also assist our market men and women by way of very low-interest loans, which we are already working on.
‘We have an Ogun Empowerment Scheme that is being finalized by the Ministries of Industry, Trade and Investment, and Women Affairs, which is geared towards providing single-digit loans or grants, as the case may be, particularly for our informal sector, the market women,’ he said.
In her remarks, the President of Market Women and Men in the State and Iyaloja of Yewaland, Chief Yemisi Abass, commended Governor Abiodun for deeming it fit to call market leaders together to deliberate on how to make life more bearable for the people of the state.
She
disclosed that they are happy with all the resolutions reached at the meeting.
Source: Voice of Nigeria