By Ibrahima Yakubu
Hundreds of Kaduna residents from various areas now go to markets located along the river banks to buy Foodstuffs directly, at affordable prices.
These markets are Kasuwar Manoma – Kasuwar Bakin kogin Kaduna and kasuwar Bakin-kogi –Unguwar Gado, where food stuffs and aquatic animals are sold at cheaper rates.
High cost of foodstuffs in Nigerian Markets arising from economic recession and corona-virus pandemic, coupled with security challenges have forced large number of the residents patronising the river bank markets.
Mallam Usman Abdullahi a local farmer from kurmin Kaduna says, we supply all the farm produce to the river Bank in order to reduce the high cost of food items in the state
Food produce like vegetables, okro, tomatoes, pepper, onions, rice, beans, maize, yam, banana, and some times animals are sold at cheaper prices at the river bank.
He stressed that despite insecurity challenges, farmers across the river bank are occupied with their farming activities, which is aimed at supplying food stuffs, in order to tackle scarcity of food.
Investigation reveals that all the Kaduna river bank markets are places where the retailers and other commercial businessmen and women usually go to buy foodstuffs and animals at affordable prices.
The rising costs of foodstuffs across markets in the country is becoming a big threat to the survival of many families, as insecurity has forced many farmers to abandon their farmlands this year.
Mallam Abdullahi said, hundreds of people from various places across the state usually come here in their Cars ,motor-cycles to buy foodstuffs and other commodities at affordable prices
According to him , they sell their goods directly to the poor and sometimes the retailers that usually come to the river bank for the business activities.
Mrs Elizebeth Lukas is a retailer from Unguwan –gwari kaduna to come to the River bank to buy all the foodstuff and other communities she needs , in order to supply at the Central Market, kaduna.
She pointed that this is the only place where the poor have to travel far-away to and buy food stuffs at affordable prices
“I bought all the food stuffs that I want at a cheaper price here at the river bank directly from the local farmer.
“Most of the foodstuff that were at the central market ,its from here they usually supply them from.”
She said, retailers and other foodstuff suppliers prepare coming down here every morning and buy all the food stuffs, because they are fresh, clean and cheap.
“Although not all people know about the location of the market ,because it’s behind a village called( Rafinguzza), but it’s the main supplier of all the cash crops and other food items in the state,” she said.
Habibu Mustapha is one of the Union leaders of the market who says, the river bank market provide an opportunity for both the sellers and the buyers to meet and bargain at affordable prices.
The market plays a significant role toward boosting the state economy as well as providing an opportunity for large number of buyers and sellers.
He observed that many men and women are engaged into the business of supply of foodstuffs from the river bank to major markets across the state.
Similarly, Sani Musa who is one of the commercial canoe paddlers appealed to the state government to help them by constructing a bridge that could link the village to the state capital in order to reduce yearly capsizing of canoes.
He observed that if Kaduna state government construct a bridge in the area, it would surely improve the supply of food crops from the villages to urban centres across the state.
He also stressed the need for government to assist the canoe paddlers with loans toward modernizing their local canoes with engine.