Since #EndBadGovernance protest, which started on August 1, the prices of some perishable goods, such as fruits, vegetables, and some other items, have crashed by approximately 50%. Africa Health Report (AHR) survey sampled in some parts of Lagos has revealed.
A group of protesters comprising coalition of youths and civil society organizations, had gathered in the heart of the state, with the hashtag #EndBadGovernance to demand action from the government an put an end to the economic hardship being experienced by the people.
As the protesters marched through the streets, their chants and songs echoed through the city. They converged on different strategic locations, where they staged a sit-in, refusing to leave until their demands were met.
AHR Correspondent who went round different parts of Lagos, gathered that local food markets have actually seen reduced activities due to the protests.
Notable markets visited by AHR are; Igando market, Ikotun and Iyana-Ipaja and it was observed that a significant drop in the prices of perishable items like tomatoes and chili peppers have dropped to minimize losses from low sales.
For instance, almost overnight, a 50kg basket of tomatoes now sells for between ₦40,000 and ₦50,000, down from ₦80,000 to ₦100,000 two weeks ago,
At the same time, 25kg basket is now ₦18,000 to ₦19,000, compared to ₦30,000 to ₦40,000 two weeks ago.
One of the sellers, Lawal, who spoke to our correspondent said he had no any other choice than to sell off the items because there are fewer customers, and coupled with the fact that purchasing power is low at the moment.
A customer, Mrs Sherifat Olayemi, who also spoke with the newspaper has this to say: “the first day of the protest, tomatoes were even cheaper because there was no one to buy. I bought a 5kg basket of tomatoes for ₦4,000, whereas it was ₦12,000 two weeks ago.”
The price of bonnet peppers, known as “rodo,” in Yoruba, remains high because of the low supply. Our correspondent discovered that on Monday, a bag was ₦40,000, but as at the time of filling this report, it has surged to ₦84,000.
On enquiries on what has occasioned the scarcity. One of the sellers told the newspaper that no pepper deliveries have been made since Wednesday, the previous day before the protest began.
Contrary to what is making the rounds that the reduction of the prices affect perishable goods, an investigation by AHR shows that prices of grains also came down.
A 50kg bag of short grain rice now sells for ₦73,000, down from ₦83,000 last month. The long grain rice is ₦78,000, compared to ₦87,000 to ₦88,000 previously. A paint bucket of honey beans now sells for ₦10,000, down from ₦12,000 in July. Other bean varieties are priced between ₦8,000 and ₦9,000,
On the other hand, items like groundnut oil and palm oil have seen significant price increases. Mrs. Hope Osagie, a trader in Agege Market, said, “A 25-litre container of groundnut oil now sells for ₦60,000, up from ₦38,000 a month ago. A 25-litre container of palm oil is now ₦36,000, up from ₦27,000 in July.”
The people of Lagos have continued to rejoice at the sudden change. Market women, who had been struggling to make ends meet, smiled as they sold their goods at prices that once again made sense. Families, who had been forced to go without, could once again afford to put food on the table.
As the news spread, the protesters, who had sparked the change, celebrated their victory. They knew that their actions had made a real difference in the lives of their fellow Lagosians. And they knew that they had proven that even in the face of adversity, the power of the people could bring about change. The protest with hashtag #EndBadGovernanceinNigeria is planned to end on 10 August.
