Yobe to establish law to protect open market

The Yobe State government says it will establish a law to protect open market and the break monopoly created by traders associations in the state.
Yobe commissioner for Justice, Ahmed Mustapha, who stated this on Thursday in Damaturu, said associations’ monopoly was at the detriment of other traders and consumers.
“Trade associations in Damaturu have constituted themselves into powerful authorities with utmost monopoly forcing others to buy and sell on their terms.
“The forceful enforcement of this monopoly through refusing visiting traders to off load and sell their wares, criminally infringes on their individual rights and the principles of overt market,” he said.
NAN reports that traders associations in Damaturu have been preventing visiting traders from selling their goods at their own prices rather they were allegedly imposing prices on them.
The commissioner said that government would liaise with security agencies to ensure that every trader was protected and made to trade at a price he or she preferred.
Ahmed said that the activities of the associations had contributed to inflation in prices of commodities in Damaturu.
“There is no better time to assist the people through affordable prices than now.
“The government will not tolerate activities of individuals or groups that arbitrarily violate people’s rights and the laws of the land,” he said.
The commissioner urged the state assembly to give the bill accelerated passage to protect traders and provide succour to consumers.
He assured the traders of the state protection against obnoxious laws from groups and associations. (NAN)