The Kano Public Complaint and Anti-Corruption Commission have issued a stern warning, threatening to seize hoarded goods and prosecute those responsible. Muhyi Rimingade, the commission’s chairman, conveyed the threat during a briefing to newsmen on the nationwide increase in prices of goods.
Rimingade emphasized the agency’s commitment to taking decisive action against individuals or traders found hoarding essential commodities to maximize profits. He stated that, despite challenges such as forex issues, the commission would not hesitate to seize hoarded goods and take the owners to court if the Federal Ministry of Commerce does not act.
“The PCACC will swing into action and will not watch businessmen hoarding commodities. We know there is the issue of forex, but those that hoard goods, even if the Federal Ministry of Commerce does not act, we will seize hoarded goods and take the owner to court,” he declared.
Expressing concern over rampant hoarding and inflationary pressures, Rimingado highlighted the commission’s determination to fulfill its mandate. He revealed that the agency had inspected rice mills, disclosing a company price of N58,000.
Rinmingado acknowledged that, beyond forex and government policies, certain business practices exacerbate the situation. He added that the agency would not stand idly by while some unpatriotic citizens continue to hoard essential commodities, resulting in a high cost of living among Nigerians.
Governor Abba Yusuf recently convened a meeting with members of the business community in the state to address escalating prices and appealed to them to refrain from arbitrary increases. The governor, during the interactive session, bemoaned the prevailing hunger situation, urging businessmen to sell essential commodities at affordable rates to alleviate the people’s sufferings.
Some business leaders, in turn, attributed inflation to factors such as high exchange rates of the Dollar, production costs, unreliable power supply for local industries, and border closures. They urged the governor to seek intervention from the Federal Government to stabilize the exchange rate, recognizing the detrimental impact of inflation on both consumers and the business community.
