The Ewi of Ado Ekiti, Oba Rufus Adejugbe, has dissolved all traders’ associations in the markets of Ado Ekiti, the capital of Ekiti State.
This move is aimed at eliminating undue price control and ensuring that farmers can sell directly to traders without interference.
Oba Adejugbe also issued an order mandating that traders in the markets adhere to regulated prices for foodstuffs, a step he deemed essential to curb the rising cost of food in the state capital.
Leading the Ewi-in-Council, the monarch gave these directives during a meeting in Ado Ekiti on Monday with the leadership and some members of the market women’s association.
He warned that strict penalties would be imposed on anyone who disobeyed these orders.
The Ewi-in-Council expressed concern over reports from the public about the exploitative practices of some traders, which have contributed to the high cost of food.
The council emphasized that these directives are intended to address and correct the situation.
At the meeting, the Council set specific price limits: vegetables should not exceed N50; pepper, N100; garri, N700; and a kilogram of meat should be reduced to N4,500.
Oba Adejugbe stated, “It has come to our attention that traders, under the cover of associations, have been using middlemen to artificially inflate the prices of essential goods like tomatoes, pepper, vegetables, palm oil, locust beans, meat, and garri by dictating terms to the farmers who bring these goods to market.”
He continued, “These measures are taken to alleviate the burden on the residents of our town. I instruct the market leaders to enforce these price controls immediately. Our chiefs will continue to monitor the markets to ensure compliance and penalize any violators.”
