Nigerians lament as prices of food, cement continue to rise

 Cement Sheet Nigerians lament as prices of food, cement continue to rise By Our Reporters - 16.06.2008 EFFORTS of Federal Government to find a solution to skyrockettingcement and food prices are yet to yield any result as the prices ofthe commodities are on the increase on a daily basis. Currently, a bag of cement sells for between N1,950 and N2,000while a bag of rice is sold for N12,000. This is despite the steps being taken by the Federal Government tobring down the prices of the commodities. Investigations by Nigerian Tribune correspondents across thecountry showed that prices of food staples and building materialsespecially cement, had not come down at all. This has brought untold hardship to citizens who complain bitterlythat life is now unbearable for them. In Ibadan, Oyo State, a bag of cement now sells for between N1,800and N1,900. House rent has increased by between 20 per cent and 50 per cent inOsogbo, Osun State capital, between January and May this year as aresult of high prices of building materials. A Nigerian Tribune investigation in Osogbo revealed that landlordshad increased the rent of a room from N1,000 to between N1,200 andN1,500 per month while a three-bedroom flat was being let out atbetween N70,000 and N80,000 per annum. A survey conducted on the cost of building materials indicated thata bag of cement was being sold at between N1,800 and N2,000 while abundle of the common iron sheet is being sold at between N10,200and N10,500. Prices of local foodstuffs are rising daily in the market, a surveyconducted in Osogbo, Osun State capital, has revealed. According to the survey, a Kongo (measure) of beans at Igbona andAkin Deko markets in Osogbo cost N200 while the same measure ofrice was being sold at N300. Six tubers of yam in the same marketcost between N450 and N500 while a 20-litre gallon of palm oil wasbeing sold at N6,500 while the same measure of vegetable oil costN6,000 as against N10,000 and N8,500 which the commodities werebeing sold in April this year. In the same market, 50kg bag of rice was being sold for betweenN8,900 and N11,000 depending on the quality. Cement price in major towns of Ondo State, particularly Akure, thestate capital, has skyrocketed in the last few weeks. Investigation by Nigerian Tribune in the towns revealed that a bagof cement now sells for between N1,900 and N2,000. The situation has also forced many cement dealers to be out ofstock, as they had not been able to replenish their stock. Also, the development has led to a increase in house rent acrossthe state, as tenants now pay through their noses for theirapartments. Cement dealers, who spoke to the Nigerian Tribune, blamed theincrease on the strike embarked upon by staff of the West AfricanPortland Cement Company (WAPCO) recently. A bag of Dangote cement at the Panteka Market, Kaduna, costs N1,800.The Burham brand of cement also goes for N1,800 a bag while,according to the traders, the Ashaka cement has not been in themarket for some time. The high cost of cement and other building materials has led to anincrease in house rent. Although the rent depends on location ofthe buildings, investigation conducted in Sabon Tasha, Kawo andother areas in Kaduna indicated that a two-bedroom flat is nowbetween N100,000 and N120,000 per annum, while a three-bedroom flatis from N150,000 per annum. A single room and a toilet is fromN30,000 per annum while those who occupy a single room in acompound pay from N18,000 annually. This is apart from the agencyfee which attracts 10 per cent of the rent or based on negotiationwith the owner of the property. Prices of foodstuffs are high in Kaduna as in other states of thefederation. At the grains section of the Kaduna Central Market, theChairman, Alhaji Yusuf Haruna, said a bag of maize was sold atN6,500, a bag of millet cost N6,500 while the price of beansvaried. According to him, a 100 kg bag of the large variety of beans costN11,500 while the 150 kg bag of the same variety cost N13,500.Hesaid the 150 kg bag of the small variety of beans cost N14,500. He,however, expressed delight that the price of a bag of foreign ricehad dropped from N9,000 two months ago, to N8,300. Tenants in Port Harcourt are now groaning under heavy rents ashouse owners in the capital city raise rents arbitrarily andincessantly. A Nigerian Tribune survey in the city at the weekend showed thathouse owners raise rents on a yearly basis citing rising cost ofcommodities and building materials for their action. It was gathered that in the Mile 1, Diobu axis of the city, whichis considered to be the low income earner residential area, thecheapest room goes for between N3,000 and N3,500 per month whereasit goes for between N4,000 and N5,000 for same kind of apartment.This has been attributed to the rise in prices of cement; and otherbuilding materials. The price of cement and house rent in Enugu State increase eachpassing day making life difficult for many residents. Investigation by the Nigerian Tribune in Enugu showed that a bag ofcement which was sold at N750 in 2003 is now being sold at N1,600. Further checks revealed that the price of cement has even come downas a bag was sold at N2,300 early in the year. It was also learnt that the price of cement varies from town totown. For instance, in Enugu metropolis it is cheaper than whatobtains at Nsukka and Obolo-Afor towns. Residents of Enugu and its environs are facing hard times followingunending high cost of food in the state, Nigerian Tribuneinvestigation also revealed. It was gathered that despite the efforts of the presentadministration to stem food shortage in the country, prices of fooditems have continued to soar. A market survey carried out by the Nigerian Tribune in Enugu showedthat many people are finding it difficult to feed three times a dayas some families can no longer afford to buy food items. The cost of building materials in Ilorin, the capital of KwaraState, is giving most people a great concern as some people have tosuspend their building project due to high cost of buildingmaterials, especially cement. It was confirmed that the a bag of Dangote cement which sold forN1,500 before is now N2,500 while a bag of Burham cement roseN1,200 to N2,300. The situation in the state has made most landlords to increasetheir house rent by almost 100 per cent. The price of foodstuffs in the state, particularly in Ilorin, havealso gone up by almost 100 per cent. A bag of foreign rice popularly known as Cape Golden rice whichcost N5,200 previously is being sold at N8,300 while home-grownrice is now N7,000 as against N4,100. Investigations by the Nigerian Tribune revealed that prices ofcement in parts of Abia State have been on the increase. It was gathered that the prices vary with the brand of thecommodity. While Atlas cement sells for between N1,500 and N1,700,other brands like Portland or Elephant cement goes for N1,900 andN2,000. Rent in Umuahia, state capital, Aba has been hiked. Aself-contained room with facilities like toilet, bathroom andkitchen goes for between N4000 and N5000 per month, depending onlocation. Geometric increase of the cost of building materials is slowingdown the pace of construction works in Bayelsa State as a bag ofEagle Cement now sells for N1,800.00, while other varieties sellfor N1,700. Two months ago, a bag of Eagle Cement was sold for N1,560, whileother varieties sold for between N1,350 and N1,400. The increasingcost of the building materials is now affecting the rent in thestate. A survey conducted by Nigerian Tribune in Yenagoa metropolis showsthat, a one-room apartment, the now goes for between N60,000 andN70,000 per annum depending on the location. One-bedroom apartment now goes for between N120,000 and N150,000,while two-bedroom apartment goes for between N180,000 and N250,000,while three-bedroom apartment goes for between N275,000 andN300,000. Home-grown rice seems to have taken over from imported rice in KogiState following the high cost of food. A Nigerian Tribune investigation indicated that a bag of CapriceRice and other assorted goes for N9,500.00 in the capital city, ameasure of foreign rice is sold at N350.00 while the home-gownbrand sells at N220.00. White beans, according to some traders, cost N200.00 per measure,brown beans cost N220.00 while a measure of gari goes for betweenN140.00 and N200.00 depending on the quality. In Kogi, the market survey conducted by the Nigerian Tribune,showed that “Dangote Cement” is the only readilyavailable brand in the state probably because the company has afactory at Obajana area of the state. The price of the cement flunctuates day by day as a bag of it as atWednesday cost N1,700.00 while it was sold for N1,800.00 theprevious day. Prices of building materials have continued to skyrocket in DeltaState with a bag of cement costing between N1,750 and N1,800. The price of the product, which rose from N1,400 in December lastyear to N1,600 in February this year has retained the present pricesince the last four months. Only two brands - Dangote and Ibeto - are common in the market inAsaba area. A market survey by the Nigerian Tribune in Asaba and Ogwashi-Ukwuindicated that in spite of the price most bags of cement were soldto customers in rebagged form. A modern three-bedroom flat in Asaba costs about N15,000 per monthwhile a fairly old one goes for between N10,000 and N12,000 permonth. Similarly, a self contained one room apartment costs about N4,000. Nigerian Tribune investigation showed that landlords demanded up totwo year’s rent in Asaba.