Kano State government, yesterday, appealed to Africa’s richest man, Aliko Dangote, and President of BUA Group, Abdulsamad Rabiu, to ease the suffering of the less-privileges in the state.
Besides, the government pleaded with businessmen to consider crashing their cost of goods to reduce the high burden of food inflation.
Governor Abba Yusuf, who made the appeal while hosting members of the Kano business community at the Government House, noted the hunger in the state.
He said: “We are appealing to business moguls, who are indigenes of Kano, to assist the less-privileged in their own state because there is hunger in Kano.
“We know the businessman and super-rich among the indigenes are rendering some forms of support, but I must say that is not enough. We have seen them constructing roads in states outside theirs. We call on them to support the government in this harsh economic situation.”
Yusuf worried that despite the present food inflation, some business men in the state were hoarding consumables waiting for price increase.
While directing those creating artificial scarcity amid high cost to release their commodities, the governor said the government would soon develop a price framework to streamline the cost of consumables.
The government pledged to consolidate tax remittance of traders to end multiple taxation hindering the business environment in the state.
It also disclosed plans to establish a high-powered Business Community Consultative Forum, which would convene regularly with the government to combat monopolistic practices and create a conducive business environment.
Some business leaders attributed the inflation to factors such as high exchange rate, production cost, unreliable power supply for local industries and border closure.
They urged the governor to seek intervention from the Federal Government to stabilise the exchange rate, emphasising the detrimental impact of inflation on both consumers and the business community.
