Governor Ademola Adeleke has thrown his weight behind the traditional approach to food price control introduced by some traditional rulers in Osun State, describing it as “a local innovation to lower increasing food inflation across the state”
In a statement issued on Friday by his Spokesperson, Olawale Rasheed, tasked the State Food Security Implementation Committee to move faster, Governor Adeleke expressed happiness that traditional rulers in Osun State have acted to regulate food prices and curtail negative activities of middlemen in the marketplaces.
Governor Adeleke who condemned artificial inflation induced by market middlemen lauded the traditional rulers under the chairmanship of His Royal Majesty, the Ooni of Ife, Oba Enitan Ogunwusi for abolishing strange market associations which induced high food prices.
According to the Governor, the actions of most members of the Osun State Council of Traditional Rulers on price control has assisted the government in its quest to address food insecurity in Osun State.
He praised the traditional rulers for impressing on market leaders the need to avoid unnecessary price increase, calling on all other traditional rulers in Osun State to emulate actions of royal fathers at Ile Ife, Ede, Igbajo, Iwo and others.
“I task our royal fathers to engage market associations and stop exploitation of our people. I read the report of the initiative by the Ooni of Ife. I also read of similar interfaces by the Oluwo of Iwoland and 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”, the Governor directed.
● Direct Food Security Implementation Committee to Fast Track Assignment
Meanwhile, Governor Adeleke has directed the Food Security Implementation Committee to move faster to ensure realisation of a secured and accessible food supply value chain in Osun State.
He tasked the committee to quickly come up with actionable plans, deliverables and timeliness, noting that food security is a matter demanding urgent attention.
“ 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-industrialisation agenda. We have started with a 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 agric value chains. That is what we have in our Food Security Committee report and the actualisation is what I demand from the implementation committee”, the State Governor declared.
