By our correspondent
The Benue State Government has announced a ban on the use of unauthorized sacks in markets and village squares across the state.
In a bid to enforce measurement standards, the government has directed all sack dealers to sell only the Benue Customized Sacks, which measure 28 x47 inches, as the largest size permitted for use.
The directive was issued during a meeting involving the Benue state Ministry of Industry, Trade, and Investment, the office of the Special Adviser on Local Government Areas Coordinator and Monitoring, and traders from Gboko Main Market.
Addressing the traders, the Commissioner for Industry, Trade, and Investment, Manasseh Alumo Orpin, warned against the sale of oversized or unauthorized sacks.
He urged traders to relocate such sacks to other states where they may still be accepted, emphasizing that adherence to the new standard is mandatory. Any violation, he stated, would be considered a breach of government policy and would not be tolerated.
Orpin explained that the measure is designed to track agriculture output, facilitate price control, and ensure fair trade practices by preventing middlemen from exploiting farmers. Additionally, he noted that the customized sacks would enhance the state’s identity in the agricultural market.
To ensure full compliance, the Special Adviser on LGA Market Coordinator and Monitoring, Imoter Akaager, reaffirmed his commitment to preventing the circulation of counterfeit or unauthorized sacks in Benue.
He urged Gboko traders to register as officials vendors with the Ministry of Industry, Trade, and Investment to distribute the approved sacks.
Akaager further warned against the use of unauthorized sacks in rural areas, cautioning that anyone found violating the directive would face legal consequences.
Speaking on behalf of the Gboko Main Market traders, Charles Arinze, Chairman of the Traders Union, appealed to the government to reconsider its enforcement measures and reopen sealed shops.He also requested that traders be granted official distributorship rights for the standardized sacks.
Arinze pledged unwavering support for Governor Hyacinth Iormem Alia, and assured compliance with government policies.
In his remarks, the Principal Special Assistant to the governor on Community Liaison and Igbo Affairs, Captain M.O.C Iwuchikwu, commended governor Alia’s efforts to support farmers.
He urged traders to ensure timely tax payments to avoid penalties and appealed to the government to consider unsealing the closed shops.
Meanwhile, sack dealers’ shops in Gboko main market, at the time of filing this report, remain shut due to tax evasion, non-registration, and failure to comply with the new government regulations.