On Thursday, President Muhammadu Buhari blamed the hike in food prices on “exploitative behaviour by middlemen and other actors”.
He made the comment while announcing the release of 30,000 tons of maize from the national reserves to animal feed producers.
Ordinarily, the action of the president was supposed to elicit commendation but no sooner than the comment was released via tweets than some social media users expressed outrage.
“We are very mindful of the challenge of high food prices, at a time when the economy is already in a slowdown caused by the global coronavirus situation, and are doing everything in our power to bring down the prices of food items across the country,” Buhari had tweeted.
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“Let me assure Nigerians that this situation of spiralling food prices will be a transient one. We are also engaging with food producers associations and groups to tackle the issue of, which is one of the factors responsible for the high food prices being experienced.”
We are very mindful of the challenge of high food prices, at a time when the economy is already in a slowdown caused by the global coronavirus situation, and are doing everything in our power to bring down the prices of food items across the country.
— Muhammadu Buhari (@MBuhari) September 3, 2020
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We are also engaging with food producers associations and groups to tackle the issue of exploitative behaviour by middlemen and other actors, which is one of the factors responsible for the high food prices being experienced.
— Muhammadu Buhari (@MBuhari) September 3, 2020
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Many criticised the president for blaming middlemen for the increase in food prices across the country.
Below are some Twitter reactions:
Ironically U r doing everthin possible to ensure the hike continues. How can u increase prices of petrol, electricity, taxes and transportation & expect food prices to remain low. In crisis/recession, all govts r reducing burden on their citizens but not in #Nigeria.
— Gamji (@adamuillo11) September 3, 2020
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and despite your concern, the fuel price and electricity tariffs increased. i wonder the type of effort it is
Advertisement— Shehu Gambo (@ShehuGambo8) September 3, 2020
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Mr. President, I thank you for your effort in ensuring reduction in the price of food. However, there are areas that calls for concern. Which are the sudden increase in the price of fuel and electricity tarrif at a time that millions of Nigerians lost their job and businesses.
— Nwaudo U Kelvin (@Maliziaboss_) September 3, 2020
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really you are trying to bring the price of foods down and you increase the cost of petroleum, which automatically increased the transportation of foods from one place to another, is a wrong adviser that advice you for this.
— New Phase (@newphase1967) September 3, 2020
Expect more deaths from hunger than you expect from Covid -19 …. How could baba allow electricity tariff hike and increase pump price at the same time… ?
— OLUGBADE I. A (@OlugbadeaI) September 3, 2020
We are complaining of the high prices of foods while the price of petrol used in transporting foods had just been increased and then dollar against Naira is still wining the league. The Lord will surely bring us out from this suffering
— I’ϻ ▬▬▬▶SPECIAL►▬▬▶ (@allienkings) September 3, 2020
— Rey Kay (@KingKay61374783) September 3, 2020
The @NGRPresident must rethink and understand that a lot of businesses couldn’t function due to the #COVID19 pandemic. In the face of the relaxed lockdown, many will hardly recovery. The electricity tarrif hike and fuel price is an ill-thought. No body in either category needs it
— Kex ™® (@CognitiveHandle) September 3, 2020
Me president you have followed different ways at your disposal to change the status quo but unfortunately no positive result. You should try diversifying your ways of approach and get the right people that expertise in economic growth to do the job.
— Ibrahim Ismail (@iilawaal) September 3, 2020
Blaming middlemen since 1900 pic.twitter.com/g0lrHA5CxW
— Iam_Snad™ (@snadguy) September 3, 2020
The issue of exploitation by middle men can be handled by introducing a method of which all retail and wholesaler of food make use of weighing scale and the government would give out the particular kilo and the price, also government can provide a body that would monitor that.
— ATTAH OF IGALA ✳️ (@Adejoh19901) September 3, 2020
My president this is too much for Nigerians to bear.The main reason I voted for you is because I trust you and I know you are going to alleviate our suffering in https://t.co/wXE7zwKdXa iam writing this text to you iam weeping inside me.Standard of living is too high.Pls we need
— David Adebiyi (@DavidAdebiyi7) September 3, 2020
By middle men you mean market women and men who have to pay exorbitant costs of transportation due to bad roads, higher fuel prices increased taxes, higher tariffs for irregular electricity and extra cost for alternative electricity. You doing well sir!🤡
— Tolu eleja🇳🇬 (@OlogbeToluwalo1) September 3, 2020
With increased electricity tariffs and increased fuel prices? You are busy talking of 30 tons of maize? Well you do not have any business with this tweet. you don’t even know when it was tweeted. I don’t blame you I blame the bloody Nigerians that voted you in.
— Tempest Onwe (@oh_TempesT) September 3, 2020
Government is the reason for this. When keep increasing the cost of petrol. This is one of the things you see. Your government is anti people. People are suffering, dying because of hunger.
— Funmy12 (@Funmy121) September 3, 2020
Deja vu! pic.twitter.com/87dK56x7e6
— Victoria Santos (@euphoria365) September 3, 2020
I bet to disagree with you sir. Middlemen have nothing to do with the hike in price. They are only responding to the corruption in your government from police to other who demand for all forms of gratification for these items to move. Do a proper homework sir.
— REST IN PEACE POPA (@peeonuoha) September 3, 2020
Mr president,it is not the faults of middlemen alone.This administration has been triggering with cost push inflation since you came on board..
PMS is N162/litre.How will this not lead to increase in transporting cost of food iterms?— IS Alhassan (@ona_stevy) September 3, 2020
When will this suffering end fada lawd! pic.twitter.com/m5qKWYCIp1
— Local man (@Generalmuyee) September 3, 2020
Mr @NGRPresident @MBuhari, we appreciate your effortless efforts so far. We do not ask that you fulfill your campaign promises again, just kindly take us back to how you met us. What a great deal of achievement that will be for your administration. Thank you!🙏 pic.twitter.com/JyBdA2qK5U
— ChemAnthony 🇳🇬 (@VoiceOfFancee) September 3, 2020
What of Fuel price and the other food items that are increasing everyday, imagine you can’t price bag of rice today and get that same price tomorrow morning; Price would have stepped up overnight. You are running a govt where the governed are scared to speak. Continue
— Allen Oluwatobi (@allenTdon) September 3, 2020
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