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By Young E. Freeborn, Warri
As the nationwide protest rages on in parts of the state and federation, residents of Ughelli town, headquarters of Ughelli North Local Government Area in Delta State, and other surrounding communities, have decried the sudden rise in prices of foodstuff and other essential commodities.
Speaking to our correspondent at Otovwodo Junction in Ughelli town on the third day of the protest, some of the protesters said that, since the beginning of the protest, prices of foodstuff suddenly rose above expectation.
“Today is the third day of the protest. It’s quite peaceful here. Only the police are pursuing people with tear-gas. Secondly, the prices of foodstuff and other essential commodities are skyrocketing. A basket of garri, which is the commonest food item we have here is now doubled as we speak. Other commodities like yam, plantain, rice and beans are in short supply at this moment. Cow meat and fish are also in short supply and the few ones available, are very expensive to the common people like us.
“As it’s now, for us to even eat one square meal a day is another challenge that’s hard to conquer. All these happened as a result of the protest because there is poor transportation across the country at the moment.”
A party chieftain from Uwheru Ward who spoke under conditions of anonymity said, “This protest only added to our hardship and worsened the poor economy that we are accusing President Tinubu of initiating. Today being the third day of the protest, what can we boast of achieving at the end of the day? All the reports we get everyday from all the states of federation are reports of violence and calamities.
“People are dying everyday, properties are being destroyed, yet we haven’t received the needed changes we are clamouring for. As I speak, we can’t afford a basket of garri, rice or beans. These are very essential commodities to our daily survival, but very expensive to buy. The poor and the less privileged can’t afford these food items again. In fact, only hunger will kill us before the disturbance and threats of the police.”
Another protester sharing his experience during the protests said, “The protest in Ughelli here and along the East -West federal road is quite peaceful. Though we have a lot of crowds especially the youths in the protests, but they carry no weapon or any harmful instruments.
“The challenge we are having here is from the police. The police are shooting sporadically at every crowded place. They are using tear-gas to pursue people. Many people have injured themselves as they try to escape from the scenes. We want to call on the Delta CP to immediately call his men to order to avoid violence and crisis. What we are doing is a peaceful protest. The police should leave us alone to perform our constitutional right as full citizens of this country.”
