By EUNICE IBRAHIM & REJOICE BITRUS
Fruit sellers in Jos, the Plateau State capital, have expressed concern over the fluctuating prices of fruits, which have made business difficult for both sellers and buyers.
A fruit seller at Gada Biyu Market, Jos North LGA, Malam Sanusi Idris, told THE NIGERIA STANDARD that, unlike last year, fruit prices had increased while patronage remained moderate.
“I used to buy big watermelons between ₦1,000 and ₦1,200, but now they cost between ₦2,000 and ₦3,000. The smaller ones used to be ₦500 to ₦700, but they now go for ₦1,500 to ₦1,800,” he said.
According to him, “Cucumber does not have a fixed price. When it’s in season, it becomes cheaper, but when it’s out of season, the price rises. Sometimes, the price even fluctuates between morning and evening.”
He added: “The price of apples has dropped slightly. Last year, I bought a carton of green apples for ₦75,000, but this year it’s ₦70,000. Red apples went for ₦85,000 last year, but now they cost ₦80,000.”
Another fruit seller at Jenta Adamu community, Mr. Kabir Usman, said although prices had risen, patronage this year was slightly better than last year’s.
“As of last year, I sold five oranges for ₦300 and two to three for ₦200, but this year, I sell four for ₦500 and the smaller ones for ₦100 each because a bag of oranges now costs ₦30,000,” he explained.
He noted that banana prices varied depending on size.
“This year, a bunch of bananas sells for between ₦800 and ₦1,500, while the larger ones go for ₦2,500 to ₦3,000. Last year, they were sold for as low as ₦500.”
Mr. Usman lamented that fruits were perishable and often got spoilt when unsold, leading to huge losses.
“It’s a very sensitive business where one can easily lose because fruits don’t last,” he said.
He attributed the high cost of fruits to rising fuel prices and transportation costs.
“If fuel prices go down, the prices of goods will also drop,” he remarked.
Another fruit seller, Mrs. Maryamu Peter, said she no longer made the same profit as before.
“In the past, if I bought bananas for ₦10,000, I would sell everything quickly, but now, sales are slow. However, oranges sell faster because more people buy them,” she disclosed.
A buyer at Agingi Downbase, Mrs. Ladi Kide, said she consumed fruits such as oranges, guava, banana and watermelon regularly for body nourishment.
“I take any fruit I can afford. My only challenge is the high prices. I wish fruits were cheaper so people could buy them more often,” she said.
Another buyer, Mrs. Mercy Inchi Adik, said, “Whenever I eat fruits like banana, orange, or watermelon, I feel fulfilled. My only challenge is that some fruits, like oranges, trigger my ulcer, but I still take small portions. I buy fruits weekly because they perish quickly.”
A nurse, Miss Jessica Kakwi, stressed the importance of regular fruit consumption, especially for the elderly.
“Older people need fruits more because they provide the nutrients and vitamins that sustain their bodies. Fruits are essential for everyone’s health,” she advised.
BACCIMA tasks govt on fairness in dealing with taxpayers, refunds
From ABBAS GUNGURA, Bauchi
The Bauchi State Chamber of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture (BACCIMA) has said that Nigeria cannot achieve sustainable economic growth under a one-sided system of accountability where only businesses are compelled to comply promptly while government institutions delay their obligations without consequences.
The chamber called for the enforcement of equal standards of timeliness, penalties and interest on both the public and private sectors.
According to BACCIMA, accountability went beyond financial compliance; it embodies fairness, justice and the creation of a business environment built on trust and mutual respect.
Speaking during a press briefing in Bauchi recently, the Chairman of BACCIMA, Aminu Mohammed Danmaliki, said the chamber’s position was not a demand for privilege but a call for balance and fairness.
“If businesses are required to meet strict tax deadlines under threat of penalty, then government agencies like the FIRS must also be obligated to fulfil their commitments promptly, with consequences for failure,” he stated.
Describing fairness as the foundation of a credible tax system, Danmaliki noted that Withholding Tax (WHT) refunds belonged to the private sector until full reconciliation was made.
He explained that the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) currently enforced a 10 per cent WHT deduction on contract sums to ensure compliance.
“When a company fully meets its tax obligations, the deducted funds are supposed to be refunded — a provision that is rarely respected,” he said.
Danmaliki proposed that WHT funds be held in jointly managed accounts, co-supervised by the FIRS and the Organised Private Sector under the Nigerian Association of Chambers of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture (NACCIMA).
He pointed out that Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs), which made up the majority of service providers, were the worst affected by delayed payments and refunds.
According to him, prompt settlement was critical to protect jobs, stabilise businesses and promote economic growth.
“Federal, state, and local governments must be legally bound to pay certified executed contracts within a fixed timeline — say 30 days. Any delay beyond this period must attract interest and penalties, just as companies are penalised for tax delays,” he added.
The Chairman called for the establishment of a Joint WHT Refund Account in selected banks, co-managed by the FIRS and NACCIMA, to ensure refunds are processed within 30 days, stressing that any delay should automatically attract interest.
He criticised the prevailing system where government agencies imposed penalties for delayed tax remittance but face no repercussions for withholding payments or refunds.
“This asymmetry of power is fundamentally unfair and economically destructive. If taxpayers face penalties for delay, government must also face penalties for failing to refund or pay contractors on time,” the chamber advised.