Ondo Residents Fault N5,000 Chicken Subsidy

Residents of Ondo State have expressed mixed reactions to the state government’s decision to sell whole frozen chickens for N5,000, with some describing the initiative as helpful while others called for broader measures to address the rising cost of living.

LEADERSHIP Weekend gathered that the subsidised sale being implemented through the Ondo State Agribusiness Empowerment Centre (OSAEC) commenced on October 21 as part of efforts to ease the burden of rising food prices and improve access to affordable protein.

Under the initiative, each frozen chicken weighing between 1.3kg and 1.6kg is being sold for N5,000, below prevailing market prices, which the government said range from N6,500 to N7,000 per kilogram in many markets.

However, Mrs Ruth Ademola questioned the impact of the intervention, arguing that the cost of buying and preparing the chicken remained beyond the reach of many households struggling to meet basic needs.

“Is chicken what will solve our problem? Is it not someone who has money that will buy chicken? Let us even assume I am able to squeeze out N5,000; is it only chicken I will eat? What about the ingredients to use in cooking it? What about the gas that I will use?” she asked.

Ademola urged the government to focus on improving the economy and ensuring that residents could afford basic necessities rather than relying on what she described as temporary interventions.

‎‎“The government should make our economy work and ensure that everyone is able to afford the basic necessities, not all these temporary measures that they are throwing about,” she said.

‎‎Another resident, Mr Alaba Egunjobi, described the initiative as a good idea, particularly with Christmas approaching, when many households traditionally include chicken in their celebrations.

‎‎However, he said the government needed to do more to address the broader economic pressures confronting residents, noting that the N5,000 price remained unaffordable for some households.

‎‎“Not everyone can afford that N5,000. Government should work more on reducing the high cost of living. That is what I need the most, and I believe that is what almost everyone will want as well,” Egunjobi said.

‎‎He added that the rising cost of living was affecting salary earners, arguing that the minimum wage was insufficient to cover even the feeding and basic needs of an individual, let alone an entire family.

‎‎Mr Promise Ado questioned the government’s motive, suggesting that the initiative was more politically motivated than a sustainable response to the economic hardship facing residents.

‎“The government knows what they are doing. Instead of making life easier for people, they are handing out peanuts, especially now that the election is drawing closer, so that people will see them as a saint,” he said.

‎‎Explaining the rationale behind the initiative, OSAEC Chairman, Hon. Rotimi Wemimo Akinsola, said the programme was being implemented on behalf of Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa to reduce the financial pressure on households and improve access to affordable protein.

‎‎“Families are feeling the pressure of rising food prices. We want every household in Ondo State to be able to afford quality protein, so we are selling full chickens at a subsidised rate of N5,000,” Akinsola said.

‎‎He said the initiative formed part of OSAEC’s broader mandate to promote food security, strengthen agribusiness development and improve access to affordable food across the state.