PRICES OF ESSENTIAL COMMODITIES SKYROCKET AS LOCKDOWN ENTERS DAY 3

It's, no doubt, an uncommon holiday across Nigeria and world at large at the moment as the fight against the spread of the most mentioned disease, Coronavirus continues across the globe and Nigeria in particular.

Since the Federal Government (FG) declared on Sunday, March 29, 2020 that there would be total lockdown in Federal Capital Territory (FCT) and two states-Lagos and Ogun with a view to curtailing the spread of the currently most dangerous virus which has held the whole world aback for months, there have been apprehension among the entire residents the places affected by the stay at home order, especially in the aspect of feeding and other essential needs to sustain them for the 14-day compulsory solitary confinement.

This has, however, led to the scrambling demand for food stuff and other essential Commodities, especially by Lagosians. And this has eventually Ied to the prcices of such items skyrocketing daily and gradually getting out of the reach of the poor who are mostly affected by the order as there are no palliatives yet either by the Lagos state government or the FG to cushion the untold hardships occasioned by the directive.

According to the findings by Opera News, the economic law of the higher the demand, the higher the price has automatically set in major areas of the states as most big shops and departmental stores are currently under lock and key. For instance, a plastic measure of Gari which hitherto was N400 now goes for N750 minimum depending on the locations. Also, an average size of loaf of bread now sells for N250 instead of N200, pepper and tomatoes hitherto sold for N400 now being purchased for N700 and so it is for almost all other essential goods. The cost of living is now on the high side which informed why the poor residents of the state designated as Centre of Excellence are now lamenting, calling on Governor Sanwo-Olu to come to their aid in order not to die of hunger before the period elapses as most people have exhausted their resources to cope with the unusual holiday.