Hardship: Kano traders reduce prices of essential commodities

As Muslims in Kano are stocking commodities in preparation for the month of Ramadan, traders at the essential commodities market popularly known as Singer market have on Monday disclosed their resolve to reduce prices of their commodities.Chairman of the marketers, Ibrahim Danyaro disclosed the resolution of the marketers while addressing newsmen shortly after a meeting with the Chairman, Kano State Public Compliant and Anti-Corruption Commission, PCACC.Danyaro said it is currently selling it commodities in the market at a price less than the company prices.The decision by the traders followed the public outcry over the soaring prices of essential commodities and high cost of living in the country.The market leader also vowed to assist the commission to fish out bad eggs among who are arbitrary increasing prices of commodities and hoarding.According to him, "we are here to disassociate ourselves from hoarding. We have come forward to the commission with our evidences and the commission is convinced that we are not involved in hoarding."The rising prices of commodities which is recorded in the market was not arbitrary done by our members. This development is brought about by the companies. And we suggested measures to address the situation at hand."One of them is for the commission to hold similar meeting with the manufacturers of these commodities to find out why the inflation of prices."We have expressed our resolve to cooperate with the commission to bring down prices of commodities to bring succour to the people. However, this, we can only do with stocks we have at hand now. The prices we sold our stock in the market is not up to the current company prices," Danyaro said.Collaborating Danyaro, another market leader, Hamisu Rabi'u assured the residents of maintaining the old prices of the stocks at hand against the skyrocketing prices being experienced at various markets across the state."Take for instance, spaghetti that we sold at N11,500 or N11,700 in the market is now sold for N12,800 in companies. Sugar in the company is sold N72,000 but we sold it N70,000. Rice is sold at N65,700 now but we sold it at 57,000 to 60,000."We will ensure that our stock at hand won't go beyond the company prices for the sake of our people. We agree to run at loss than to throw our people in difficulties,".On his part, the Chairman of the anti-graft agency, Bar. Muhuyi Rimingado commended the traders for their readiness to make contribution by reducing prices of their commodities.Rimingado promised to hint the Kano State Governor, Abba Kabir Yusuf about the resolutions of the meeting with the traders and will hold similar meeting with the company owners to see how it can beat down the skyrocketed prices and sustain the prices.Recall that the commission had on Sunday sealed warehouses allegedly hoarding essential commodities and resultant of the artificial inflation prices.