By Awaal Gata
In the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), just as it is in other parts of the country, traders record high patronage during festivals like Sallah, Christmas and New Year. But ahead of the upcoming Christmas and New Year Celebration, when Blueprint surveyed some of the markets in the territory at the weekend, they said things are different this year.
At Wuse Market, a trader, Manzo Mustapha, who sells onions, while narrating how he runs his business, said he goes to Kebbi state every week to buy his ware.
He said he buys 15 to 20 bags of onions every week, which he sells to his customers who are coming from different parts of Abuja city.
He disclosed that prior to the yuletide season, he used to buy onions at cost of N8,000 per bag, but now he gets the same quantity for N12,000.
Attributing the increased in the price of the onions to the coming of Christmas and new Year season, he however decried that there is low patronage by residents in Abuja, as they are complaining that his good is too expensive.
He noted that most of his customers seem to have travelled to their various villages outside FCT to celebrate this year’s Christmas and those in the town are lamenting that they are not being paid salaries.
“No matter how had I try to convince customers to buy my potatoes, they will be complaining that it’s expensive, not knowing that we are not the cause, because the cost is being determined from the root (the place where him and his colleagues get their supplies from).
“And some of them would they don’t have money, but the government or private employers should pay them, so that we too can enjoy the season with them,” he stressed.
Furthermore, he said because of the high cost of onions and its attendant low customer patronage,many dealers of the commodity record more wastage than before.
Another trader, selling fruits inside the market, Ali Ibrahim, who said he buys watermelon, pineapple, Orange and Apple at the Zuba Fruits market, explained that 50 pieces of watermelon are sold between the rate of seventeen thousand naira (N17,000) and nine thousand naira (N9,000), depending on their sizes.
According to him, sometimes he makesprofit of five thousand naira (N5,000) from 50 pieces he usually bought from the Zuba Fruit market.
Explaining further, he says, ” I cut the melons into many slices, which I sell for hundred naira (N100) each, but if its complete the profitis N2,000 and sometimes its N1,500.
He however noted that he always incur loss from rotten melons hidden inside a bulk of the commodity or when offloading them from the trucks, with some being broken into pieces.
For instance, he said if he buys 50 watermelon and five get damaged in the process he would be praying against losinghis capital, instead of expecting much profit or income.
However, Ibrahim, said that it is through his business that he is feeding himself and help others- like his parent and friends meet their needs.
For, one Ibe Frank, selling foodstuff, who also narrated how is going about his business in the market without any hindrance, and is being able to not only feed himself but fend for his family and relations within and outside Abuja.
He saidhe has many customers coming from different places to buy from him because he is like a dealer, who sells things at a cheaper price not minding the little income he is getting.
“All I want is to get little, and satisfy the needs of my customers, by so this mindset my business is more profitable than those selling at higher prices.
“For instance, if daily I sold say may be 50 bags of rice at the rate of eight thousand-five hundred naira (N8,500)each while others sell theirs for eight thousand-six hundred naira (N8,600), and sell only five bags a day, if you calculate myprofit or income it would be far more than theirs own.
“That’s why I’m well satisfied with the little gain am getting in order to help other human beings get what they want,” he expressed.
He however bemoans the attitudes of many of his customers that bought goods from him on credit, but refused to pay him, citing the coming of the Christmas and New Year season.
In the same vein, some of the customers who spoke to Blueprint at the market attributed the situation to non-payment of salaries by some ministries.
A customer who gave his name simply as Frank said: “about ten ministries have not been paid for two months; then what do you expect? How can one celebrate without Money? We just pray they pay before Thursday.”
