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Amidst Panic Buying, Experts Urge Nigerians To Buy Basic Needs

Published

6 years ago

March 26, 2020

For fear of possible lockdown due to COVID-19 pandemic, Ibadan residents, in Oyo State, yesterday, trooped to markets in the metropolis to stock up foodstuffs.
Our source, who monitored some major markets in Ibadan, reported that people were seen in large numbers buying foodstuffs and other basic necessities.
Most sellers jettisoned the safety protocols and were going about their businesses.
At Bodija and Oja Oba markets in Ibadan, only a few buyers were seen with nose masks and hand gloves, while some park managers were seen making use of hand sanitisers, as they ensured that cars were parked at the markets’ car parks.
While some buyers complained of increased prices of some items, sellers were cashing in on the situation to make brisk business.
One of the buyers, Mrs Moradeyo Hamzat, said only a few food items had their prices hiked.
“A measure of ‘Garri Oyo’ is now being sold for N180 as against N130 that it used to be, while yam that used to sell for N1,500 is now N2,500.
“I also noticed that the price of rice, both local and foreign, and those of vegetable oil did not change,” she said.
Also, Ms Adeola Adedigba, said she was in the market to stock up, as she did not want to be caught in the web of the government declaring total lockdown.
She stated that the prices of pepper and tomatoes had doubled, adding that there had been over 50 per cent increase on some other food items.
“I can only wish for things to get better, as many people do not have money to stock their homes at this time,” Adedigba said.
A seller at Bodija market, Mrs Aminat Bamgbose, said there had been a 20 to 30 per cent increase in prices of foodstuffs, while demand had jumped up to 50 per cent.
She stated that only a few sellers in the market were following safety protocols, such as covering of noses with nose masks and using hand sanitisers.
A yam seller, Mrs Aina Oriowo, said it was not their intention to increase the price of their goods but that the demand was getting higher than the supply.
Oriowo noted that sellers also paid cut-throat prices to purchase goods, as middlemen were scared of the situation and were bent on making quick gains.
Another seller, Alhaja Monsurat Anisere, said that the goods they bought were equally expensive, adding that by the time other costs were added, the selling price would have to slightly increase.
She debunked the insinuations that sellers were taking advantage of the buyers at this time.
When asked why sellers at Bodija markets were not adhering to safety protocols, she said that the virus was not for the common man.
Some economic experts have cautioned Nigerians to only spend their money on buying their basic needs.
A financial expert, Mrs Lolade Adesola, said since no one knew how long the situation would last, people should be smart in their spending at this time.
“Let’s be indoors and find ways to block all leakages and wastage of money because it might affect employers of labour in the long run, if the situation persists.
“The private sector may want to downsize if the situation worsens. So people should conserve whatever amount they have now,” Adesola said.
Also, an economist, Mr Raji Rasaki, said Nigerians should prioritise their needs and look inward.
“The common man should rely less on imported food, because, in the past, the food we consumed majorly were being produced in the country.
“Let’s look inward at what we can do that will fetch us something in the nearest future, like going back to subsistence farming.
“Let’s start planting what we can eat so that our reliance on foreign goods will reduce to the barest minimum,” Rasaki said.

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Fubara Dissolves Rivers Executive Council

Published

1 week ago

February 13, 2026

The Tide

Rivers State Governor, Sir Siminialayi Fubara, has dissolved the State Executive Council.

The governor announced the cabinet dissolution yesterday in a statement titled ‘Government Special Announcement’, signed by his new Chief Press Secretary, Onwuka Nzeshi.

Governor Fubara directed all Commissioners and Special Advisers to hand over to the Permanent Secretaries or the most Senior officers in their Ministries with immediate effect.

He thanked the outgoing members of the State Executive Council for their service and wished them the best in their future endeavours.

The three-paragraph special announcement read, “His Excellency, Sir Siminalayi Fubara, GSSRS, Governor of Rivers State, has dissolved the State Executive Council.

“His Excellency, the Governor, has therefore directed all Commissioners and Special Advisers to hand over to the Permanent Secretaries or the most Senior officers in their Ministries with immediate effect.

“His Excellency further expresses his deepest appreciation to the outgoing members of the Executive Council wishing them the best in their future endeavours.”

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INEC Proposes N873.78bn For 2027 Elections, N171bn For 2026 Operations

Published

1 week ago

February 13, 2026

The Tide

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) yesterday told the National Assembly that it requires N873.78bn to conduct the 2027 general elections, even as it seeks N171bn to fund its operations in the 2026 fiscal year.

INEC Chairman, Prof Joash Amupitan, made the disclosure while presenting the commission’s 2026 budget proposal and the projected cost for the 2027 general elections before the National Assembly Joint Committee on Electoral Matters in Abuja.

According to Amupitan, the N873.78bn election budget covers the full conduct of national polls in 2027.

An additional N171bn is needed to support INEC’s routine activities in 2026, including bye-elections and off-season elections, the commission stated.

The INEC boss said the proposed election budget does not include a fresh request from the National Youth Service Corps seeking increased allowances for corps members engaged as ad-hoc staff during elections.

He explained that, although the details of specific line items were not exhaustively presented, the almost N1tn election budget is structured across five major components.

“N379.75bn is for operational costs, N92.32bn for administrative costs, N209.21bn for technological costs, N154.91bn for election capital costs and N42.61bn for miscellaneous expenses,” Amupitan said.

The INEC chief noted that the budget was prepared “in line with Section 3(3) of the Electoral Act 2022, which mandates the Commission to prepare its election budget at least one year before the general election.”

On the 2026 fiscal year, Amupitan disclosed that the Ministry of Finance provided an envelope of N140bn, stressing, however, that “INEC is proposing a total expenditure of N171bn.”

The breakdown includes N109bn for personnel costs, N18.7bn for overheads, N42.63bn for election-related activities and N1.4bn for capital expenditure.

He argued that the envelope budgeting system is not suitable for the Commission’s operations, noting that INEC’s activities often require urgent and flexible funding.

Amupitan also identified the lack of a dedicated communications network as a major operational challenge, adding that if the commission develops its own network infrastructure, Nigerians would be in a better position to hold it accountable for any technical glitches.

Speaking at the session, Senator Adams Oshiomhole (APC, Edo North) said external agencies should not dictate the budgeting framework for INEC, given the unique and sensitive nature of its mandate.

He advocated that the envelope budgeting model should be set aside.

He urged the National Assembly to work with INEC’s financial proposal to avoid future instances of possible underfunding.

In the same vein, a member of the House of Representatives from Edo State, Billy Osawaru, called for INEC’s budget to be placed on first-line charge as provided in the Constitution, with funds released in full and on time to enable the Commission to plan early enough for the 2027 general election.

The Joint Committee approved a motion recommending the one-time release of the Commission’s annual budget.

The committee also said it would consider the NYSC’s request for about N32bn to increase allowances for corps members to N125,000 each when engaged for election duties.

The Chairman of the Senate Committee on INEC, Senator Simon Along, assured that the National Assembly would work closely with the Commission to ensure it receives the necessary support for the successful conduct of the 2027 general elections.

Similarly, the Chairman of the House Committee on Electoral Matters, Bayo Balogun, also pledged legislative support, warning INEC to be careful about promises it might be unable to keep.

He recalled that during the 2023 general election, INEC made strong assurances about uploading results to the INEC Result Viewing portal, creating the impression that results could be monitored in real time.

“iREV was not even in the Electoral Act; it was only in INEC regulations. So, be careful how you make promises,” Balogun warned.

The N873.78bn proposed by INEC for next year’s general election is a significant increase from the N313.4bn released to the Commission by the Federal Government for the conduct of the 2023 general election.

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Tinubu Mourns Literary Icon, Biodun Jeyifo

Published

1 week ago

February 13, 2026

The Tide

President Bola Tinubu yesterday expressed grief over the death of a former President of the Academic Staff Union of Universities and one of Africa’s foremost literary scholars, Professor Emeritus Biodun Jeyifo.

Jeyifo passed away on Wednesday, drawing tributes from across Nigeria and the global academic community.

In a condolence message to the family, friends, and associates of the late scholar, Tinubu in a statement by his spokesperson, Bayo Onanuga, described Jeyifo as a towering intellectual whose contributions to African literature, postcolonial studies, and cultural theory left an enduring legacy.

He noted that the late professor would be sorely missed for his incisive criticism and masterful interpretations of the works of Nobel laureate, Professor Wole Soyinka.

The President also recalled Jeyifo’s leadership of ASUU, praising the temperance, foresight, and wisdom he brought to the union over the years.

Tinubu said Jeyifo played a key role in shaping negotiation frameworks with the government aimed at improving working conditions for university staff and enhancing the learning environment in Nigerian universities.

According to the President, Professor Jeyifo’s longstanding advocacy for academic freedom and social justice will continue to inspire generations.

He added that the late scholar’s influence extended beyond academia into political and cultural journalism, where he served as a mentor to numerous scholars, writers, and activists.

Tinubu condoled with ASUU, the Nigerian Academy of Letters, the Wole Soyinka Centre for Investigative Journalism, the University of Ibadan, Obafemi Awolowo University, Oberlin University, Cornell University, and Harvard University—institutions where Jeyifo studied, taught, or made significant scholarly contributions.

“Nigeria and the global academic community have lost a towering figure and outstanding global citizen,” the President said.

“Professor Biodun Jeyifo was an intellectual giant who dedicated his entire life to knowledge production and the promotion of human dignity. I share a strong personal relationship with him. His contributions to literary and cultural advancement and to society at large will be missed.”

Jeyifo was widely regarded as one of Africa’s most influential literary critics and public intellectuals. Among several honours, he received the prestigious W.E.B. Du Bois Medal in 2019.