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Residents of Kogi State have been facing acute shortages of bread and water as public taps ceased to flow while bread disappeared from the streets in the last three weeks.
This is coming at the heels of the decision of bakers to shut down bread production due to the high cost of flour, the major raw material for the production of bread, while public taps have run dry within the same period.
Bamidele Adeniyi, the state chairman of, Association of Master Bakers and Caterers of Nigeria confirmed the development, stating that his members shut down the production of bread, making it difficult for consumers to access their products.
Adeniyi, who is also the chairman and executive officer of God First Bread, Lokoja, regretted that the cost of purchasing flours and other materials for the production of the staple food necessitated their decisions, adding that the option left for them was to increase the prices of bread to enable them to meet the cost of production.
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He called on the government at all levels to adopt policies that would help his members to resume production, adding that hundreds of youth and women were losing their jobs due to the unfortunate development.
On water scarcity, the commissioner for Water Resources, Abdulmumin Danga said the greater Lokoja water treatment plant was undergoing routine maintenance which would last for one week.
A resident, Musa Inuwa from Ganaja, who spoke with our correspondent, said the rain which used to be a source of help has stopped over a period, making it a harrowing experience for residents.
Also, Carolina Atusumbe, in 200 Housing Estate, Lokoja lamented that the last few weeks had been a hectic experience, as she appealed to the state government for intervention.
Some bread consumers, who spoke to newsmen at Lokogoma, Adankolo, Kabawa, Barracks, and Otokiti Housing Estate, expressed concern over the non-availability of the staple food for their consumption.
One of the bread buyers, Solomon Bawa, told our correspondent that he came to Lokogoma to buy bread, but went back disappointed as those selling it informed him that bread bakers did not supply their products.
A bread seller in Adankolo, Lokoja, who did not want to be identified, added that the bakers had no option than to increase the bread price to enable them to survive the hardship.
Moreover, a loaf of bread that used to cost N450 is now N550.
