Muslim faithful in Zamfara State has lamented that this year’s Ramadan (fasting period) would be very tough for them considering the rate of inflation ravaging the entire country.

The Muslims complained about the increase of some essential commodities that could assist them in the fasting period, saying that many households could not afford to buy such items in the market.

Mallam Ishaku Mohammed asked our correspondent during an interview, ”how much watermelon, cucumber, mangos, oranges and others can one buy to satisfy the family? The prices of all these food items have gone beyond the reach of the common masses in the state”, he said

He noted that even the so-called civil servants who depend on salaries monthly are still battling to put food on their family’s tables, saying that their salaries and allowances are nothing to write home about.

“In a state where the government is yet to implement a common N30,000 minimum wage for its civil servants, talk of giving them the advantage of salary advance” he added.

DAILY POST spoke to a food item seller in Tudunwada market, Ibrahim Gusau who said it was not intentional for the marketers to increase the prices of their food but that most of the food items were being brought to the urban areas by the villagers.

“Since the villagers have been stopped from their farming activities, it remains compulsory for the prices of food items to increase following the unabated rampages of the bandits in the State”

“We are not fools, because we are very much aware that both the federal and state governments do not want the issue of banditry to end in the entire country and that is nothing but the whole truth”

“It is surprising to notice that virtually all the leaders of the State government are Muslims, yet they refuse to assist the common masses, especially during important occasions like this”

He said the government has a lot of brands because the price control agency is no longer working because the government wants it so and that is how it continues to be”

Investigations carried out revealed that the prices of essential commodities in the state markets have increased by more than 60 percent.