Ramadan: Clerics campaign against hike on essential commodities
Ramadan: Clerics campaign against hike on essential commodities
//Akon Eddy, Kaduna//
Worried by hike in price of essential commodities, especially foodstuffs in the market, religious clerics in Kaduna state took their campaign to the Sheikh Abubakar Gumi Mahmoud Market (Central Market), Kaduna, for possible price slash.
The campaign tagged: “Cut down your prices for God” was meant to sensitize traders in the market to see the need for price reduction on essential commodities for the upcoming Ramadan fast.
Pastor Yohannah Buru, General Overseer, Christ Evangelical Intercessory Fellowship Ministry, Sabon Tasha, Kaduna South, who led the campaign team said the campaign became necessary seeing the Ramadan season is fast approaching.
“We come to sensitize our traders on the need for price reduction on essential commodities.
“The hike in price of essential commodities in the markets, will not urger well for our Muslim brothers and sisters in the upcoming Ramadan season.
“Let’s be our brothers’ keeper seeing that we’re from one family; Adam and Eve.
“We worship one God. We believe in the scriptures – Bible and Qur’an,” Pastor Buru said.
In his remark, Executive Chairman, Sheikh Abubakar Gumi Mahmoud Market, (Central Market), Alhaji Adamu Usman Maishinkafa, said they will take the message across markets in the State in order to find ways of making prices of essential commodities affordable to Nigerians.
Alhaji Maishinkafa who said he appreciate the kind gesture of the clerics, urge that the solidarity should be maintain even after the Ramadan season
“This is first of its kind for Christian and Muslim scholars to visit the Market to sensitize traders on the importance of price reduction of goods for Ramadan season.
“On behalf of my members, we appreciate this kind gesture from the religious leaders; and we urge that this solidarity would be maintain even after the Ramadan season,” the Executive Chairman appealed.
Similarly, President, Market Women Association, Kaduna State, Mrs. Sarah Benjamin Ayuba said the presence of Pastor Buru at the Market was highly commendable.
“We truly appreciate it because when you look at the situation in the market people out there have different notions about the happenings here.
“You know we source for our goods from different markets that’s why prices are different.
“Secondly, the value of the Naira has depreciated so much that if you buy goods today for N10 by the time you go to buy that same good the next day, the price has jump to N20 or N35. We can’t really say what the problems are.
“We are also appealing to government to please try and stabilize the Naira against the Dollar.
“If government is able to do this, then prices of goods in the market will stabilize. Some of us don’t even have up to N5000 as capital.
“Today, a bag of rice goes for N15000 – N17000 against N7000 – N8000 obtainable a year ago. You can see the difference, this has also affected us.
“We thank God that Pastor Buru has come. We traders have heard his plea and we’ll also look into it.
“We’ll talk to our members that prices of goods should not be double at least for the up coming Ramadan season. People should not capitalize on the season to maximize their profits. Lets be our brothers’ keeper.
“It might not be much but it should be in such a way that the poor in the society can afford something for the family,” Mrs. Ayuba said.
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