Obasempire reports that Osun State Governor, Adetola Adeleke, has endorsed the traditional method of controlling food prices recently introduced by some local rulers in the state.
Governor Adeleke has instructed the Food Security Implementation Committee to accelerate efforts to ensure a stable and accessible food supply chain. He characterized the traditional rulers’ method as “a local initiative to combat rising food inflation throughout the state.”
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Reports indicate that the Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi, has instructed vendors in Ife to lower food prices and dissolved the market vendors’ association in the region.
Similarly, the Oluwo of Iwo land, Oba Abdulrosheed Adewale Akanbi, has mandated a reduction in food prices across the three local government areas of Iwo land.
In a statement released on Friday by his spokesperson, Olawale Rasheed, Governor Adeleke urged the State Food Security Implementation Committee to act promptly. He expressed approval of the traditional rulers’ efforts to regulate food prices and address the exploitative practices of middlemen in markets.
Governor Adeleke criticized the artificial inflation caused by market intermediaries and praised the traditional rulers, led by the Ooni of Ife, for dismantling market associations that contributed to high food prices.
According to the Governor, “the actions of most members of the Osun State Council of Traditional Rulers on price control have assisted the government in its quest to address food insecurity in Osun State.”
He praised the traditional rulers for impressing upon market leaders the need to avoid unnecessary price increases and called on all other traditional rulers in Osun State to emulate the actions of the royal fathers at Ile Ife, Ede, Igbajo, Iwo, and other areas.
“I task our royal fathers to engage market associations and stop the exploitation of our people. I read the report of the initiative by the Ooni of Ife. I also read of similar actions by the Oluwo of Iwoland and the Timi of Ede Land. This approach should be adopted by all royal fathers.
“I am also directing my Special Adviser on Markets to move quickly to support our royal fathers in this new drive to institute traditional price control. The Iyalojas and Babalojas should be integrated into the implementation process.”
Meanwhile, Governor Adeleke also tasked the Committee on Food Security Implementation to quickly come up with actionable plans, deliverables, and timelines, noting that food security is a matter demanding urgent attention.
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“The Committee is composed of tested experts. It is time for action. We already have a well-thought-out food security report. We only need a roadmap to execution.
“I commend the Commissioner for Agriculture for rising to the occasion on our agro-industrialization agenda. We have started with the supply of tractors, which I will be unveiling at a ceremony soon. We have embraced traditional price control through our traditional rulers.
“We must implement a holistic agenda which addresses all segments of the agricultural value chains. That is what we have in our Food Security Committee report, and the actualization is what I demand from the implementation committee,” the state Governor declared.
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