I Almost Fainted When Price Of Cement Per Bag Rose To ₦11,000 – Says Ex-CAN President

A former President of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Dr Samson Ayokunle, has said that he almost fainted when he first heard that a bag of cement was sold for ₦11,000.

Ayokunle, while sharing his awful experience with the country’s inflation rate, emphasized the urgent need for the Federal Government to implement decisive actions in order to address the escalating inflation that has become increasingly burdensome for the Nigerian populace.

Naija News reports that Ayokunle said this on Inside Sources with Laolu Akande, a socio-political program broadcast on Channels Television.

Ayokunle, who also served as President of the Nigerian Baptist Convention, expressed deep concern about the instability in the country’s economy over the past year.

He recounted a personal experience earlier this year when he purchased cement for the construction of a poultry house, highlighting the impact of inflation on everyday commodities.

“I was to do a small poultry and they (the bricklayers) said I would need a small house which they call the pen. They would floor it and buy cement. By that time, cement was N5,300. When I learnt that cement was N5,300, I shouted. Only one bag?!

“I paid for the number of cements that was needed for that small pen. But unfortunately, the estimate was not right because the bags of cement couldn’t complete it. They came to me and said everything has changed, and a bag of cement became N11,000. I said, ‘What!’ I almost fainted. How many weeks difference?

“This is the Nigeria we are talking about where the economy is not stable at all. You can’t predict the prices of goods. What is even worse is the price of medicine,” the former CAN president shared.

Ayokunle protested for a decent living wage for workers across the country, stressing that doing so would deter them from delving into sharp practices.

“Minimum wage should be what we allow people to wear clothes, allow them to put food on the table for their family members and allow them to take care of basic necessities like their health.

“Even if they don’t build houses, they should be able to pay their rent. It should be the one that will allow the people to work in offices and not steal,” he said.

It is regrettable that despite the economic challenges faced by the people, politicians seem to be indifferent and enjoy extravagant lifestyles while receiving various generous allowances.

Ayokunle expressed disappointment in the lack of vision among the country’s leaders, who prioritize personal luxury over the well-being of the citizens.

“It is not only corruption that is killing us; another thing that is killing us is lazy leadership. A leadership that is not ready to take the bull by the horn and turn this nation from a consumption economy to a production economy,” he said.

He added that there was nothing wrong with Nigeria having 700,000 policemen because “if the security matter is not attended to, there can’t be development. Investors won’t come.”