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Akwa Ibom abolishes levies to force down food price
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Akwa Ibom State government has abolished levies imposed on food items coming into the state by road as a means of checking the escalating prices of food in the state.
Most of the foodstuff in the state are brought from other parts of the country and this attracts road tax by the state government.
Garri, a staple food item, is brought into Akwa Ibom from northern Cross River, Ondo and Delta States, while yam and onions are brought into the state from the northern parts of the country.
Permanent secretary, ministry of works, Bassey Uwe, announced the abolition of the levies was part of efforts by the state government to bring down the rising food prices.
Prices of basic food items such as rice and yams have increased astronomically to the extent that a bag of rice now goes for between N10, 000 and N12, 000.
Two rice farms in the state established by both Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) and Mobil Producing Nigeria (MPN) have since been stalled.
The NDDC rice farm in Ini Local Government Area was to be supported by a processing factory, but communal violence forced its relocation to Rivers State.
Similarly, MPN rice farm in Onna local government established as part of its community assistance programme has since been abandoned after gulping over $5 million.
Most of the foodstuff in the state are brought from other parts of the country and this attracts road tax by the state government.
Garri, a staple food item, is brought into Akwa Ibom from northern Cross River, Ondo and Delta States, while yam and onions are brought into the state from the northern parts of the country.
Permanent secretary, ministry of works, Bassey Uwe, announced the abolition of the levies was part of efforts by the state government to bring down the rising food prices.
Prices of basic food items such as rice and yams have increased astronomically to the extent that a bag of rice now goes for between N10, 000 and N12, 000.
Two rice farms in the state established by both Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) and Mobil Producing Nigeria (MPN) have since been stalled.
The NDDC rice farm in Ini Local Government Area was to be supported by a processing factory, but communal violence forced its relocation to Rivers State.
Similarly, MPN rice farm in Onna local government established as part of its community assistance programme has since been abandoned after gulping over $5 million.
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