2nd July, 2017
Some housewives in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) have attributed the reduction in the qualities of delicacies prepared in most homes to the prevailing cash crunch.
They said in Abuja that insufficient funds had continued to force them to prepare meals that were below balanced diets in standard in most homes.
Mrs Chidera Ugochukwu, a housewife, said that the quality of food she cooked no longer stand the taste it used to be because of the increase in the prices of the ingredients used to prepare such meals.
According to her, “These days, I have noticed that most of the meals I prepare at home do are not rich and not as tasteful as they used to before.
“This is due to my inability to add the necessary ingredients needed due to high cost of living.
“Nowadays, my soup or stew no longer contains all the different types of meat or ingredients I usually add to my cooking.
“It is, however, nobody’s fault, but due to the economic situation in the country at present.”
Ugochukwu said the little money given her by her husband to prepare food was not enough for her to buy all the needed ingredients to cook.
Another housewife, Mrs. Grace Odion, who works at the airport, was bitter that her children no longer eat balanced diets.
She said that the situation was frightening and affecting their health.
“These days, women no longer cook soups or stews spiced with assorted meats as it used to be in the past because buying fish, meat and others now is something else.
“I went to the market with N10,000 to buy ingredients to cook soup; only to discover that the amount was not sufficient to buy all the items I needed.
“The prices of most food items have tripled, thereby, affecting the purchasing power of most homes like mine.
“My husband earns about N60, 000 monthly, while my monthly take-home pay is N45, 000.
“How can we cope with four children, all in school with N105,000,’’ she said.
Mr Peter Ademulekun, a civil servant, said it was regrettable that there was no palliative to cushion the effect of the harsh economic realities.
According to the father of three, the monthly salary that could afford three square meals a day in the past can no longer do so at present.
“Some years ago, I could buy a bag of rice and other food stuffs and still pay my children’s school fees.
“But today, it is a different story as no one can guarantee three square meals; eating balanced diets nowadays like before is attempting to dig a well in the Sahara Desert.
“However, I still thank God and hope that things will soon get better.
“If not, many people may be tempted to nurse evil ideas with the way things are going currently, ’’Ademulekun said.
He, therefore, appealed to government to increase the salaries of workers to enable them take good care of their families.