TheCable

Olayemi Oyebanji,  wife of Ekiti governor, has appealed to market leaders in the state to lower the prices of goods that are not affected by the fluctuation of exchange rates.

On February 15, the Nigerian Bureau of Statistics (NBS) said inflation rose to 29.9 percent in January 2024 — up from 28.92 percent in the previous month.

This was triggered by a food inflation rate of 35.4 percent which jerked up the prices of staple food.

Speaking at a meeting with the market heads held in Ado-Ekiti on Thursday, Olayemi decried the rising prices of commodities, describing it as worrisome.

She urged the market women to cooperate with the state government’s policies that would alleviate hunger and poverty.

“I beg you, you are the leaders in your markets, those goods that are not affected by the dollar, please reduce their prices. We should not use this situation to take advantage of our people,” she said.

“Let us go to our markets and talk to other market women. We have to find ways to ease the suffering of our people. This storm will pass, but the little we can do to make it easier, let us do it for our people to have some relief.”

The meeting with the market leaders was also attended by Tayo Adeola, the commissioner for investment, trade and industry, and Kemisiola Olaleye, the special adviser to the governor on gender empowerment.