Locals worried about rise in prices of store goods

By LIBERT SANGUNDI
AN increase in the price of goods sold at the main shop in Angoram town, East Sepik, has affected the daily lives of people.
“Price of items sold were unstable and change every time and it is unreasonable for customers especially in this time of economic crisis and double disaster of prolonged flooding and a recent earthquake,” said a local small business operator Hendry Wagame.
“Our source of income such as cash crops like cocoa, betel nut as well as garden foods were destroyed completely by the flooding (over the last few weeks).
“Fishing is becoming difficult for some communities because fish habitats have been destroyed and they are scattered all over a wide space were catching is becoming difficult.”
He said unnecessary increases in the price of basic items sold in stores had become a major challenge to families especially in those directly affected by the natural disasters.
“I have seen the prices of food items fluctuate every day and I am not sure whether the Independent Consumer and Competition Commission (ICCC) are aware of this or not but we have seen it,” Wagame said.
He said the foreign-owned Leon Enterprise was the only supermarket operating in Angoram town that served the district.
He called on the responsible authority to take immediate action to have some price control mechanism in place so that people could afford daily needs.
Angoram district administrator Martin Anskar said he could not confirm if prices had increased or not because he was focused on helping manage relief assistance to those affected by the flooding and earthquake.
He said once the state of emergency was over he would find out and respond accordingly.