Group threatens to stop Onion Supply to the South

Do you have some Gold in your kitchen? This in recent times has been a way to sarcastically ask about the allium vegetable, onion in various homes since the issue of the inflation of foodstuff supplies especially to the southern part of Nigeria.

Onion which is consumed with almost all Nigerian dishes has since become the new gold in most homes and concern have been raised as the Onion Producers and Marketers Association of Nigeria said it will stop its supply to the South from Monday, June 7, 2021.

The group threatened that if the government do not compensate its members who have suffered losses in recent times following attacks in various parts of the country, it would carry out its plan.

This was revealed by the President of the association, Aliyu Umar, to journalists at a press briefing on Sunday in Sokoto State.

He recalled that the government had in a committee led by the Governor of Kogi State, Yahaya Bello did promise to compensate its members, who suffered huge losses during the #EndSARS and Shasha market crisis in Abia, Imo and Oyo States respectively.

Umar However lamented that the promise has not been kept and the members have reportedly lost over 4 billion nairas.

In his words: “We are calling on the state and Federal Government to restore law and order in the state, and we are calling on the good people of the southern part of Nigeria to live with the Hausa community in peace as we are only there for our lawful businesses,” Umar said.

“We also call on state governments to collaborate with the fed govt to set up a committee to investigate the incident that led to the loss of lives and property of the Onion Association members.

“Furthermore, if the government fails to adhere to what we are saying, we are shutting the supply of onion to the entire south by Monday the 7th of June 2021”.

It is worthy to note that in less than a year, the price of Onions had skyrocketed from about ₦20,000 to nearly a hundred thousand.
Meanwhile, just last week Wednesday, the Amalgamated Union of Foodstuff and Cattle Dealers of Nigeria (AUFCDN) had agreed to lift its ban on the supply of food to the southern part of the country.

Their decision followed an extensive dialogue and deliberation with the Kogi State governor, Yahaya Bello, at the state Governor’s Lodge in Abuja.

What is your thought on the decision of the Onion Producers and Marketers Association of Nigeria to stop its supply to the South?