A lecturer in the Department of Management, Rivers State University, Dr. Sebarico Lebara says the hike in the prices of food items is not peculiar to Nigeria.
In an interview with our reporter, he said that the present unavailability in the food system is a global challenge that Federal Government of Nigeria can not deal with it alone.
Lebara also explained that the issues around Russia Ukraine war, Covid-19, scarcity of energy and the international market are things that could impact on our local market prices, adding that prices of food items could hit the roof top as a result.
He, however said that the federal government have a role to play by subsidizing items just as it was done for petroleum over the last couple of decades and engaging in intervention programs.
He advised government to find a scenario where we can actually be buying some of those items at possible market prices and then government takes care of the rest. Dr. Sebarico also suggested to the government that it is important that they look for a way for the market forces to decide the prices and let things run on their own, but then make certain decisions that could influence.
The university lecturer further disclosed that the state government should also play a leading role in addressing the key causes of poverty in the country. He said they should identify their areas of comparative advantage especially in terms of the kind of produce that can grow better in their environment. With that, they can maximise those areas and ensure that they drag the production of those produce in their own state. Adding that it will help flood the market with produce that is needed across the country.
