No Time Did We Suffer Market Loss Like COVID-19 Era

Traders at the Keffi market in Nasarawa state are lamenting over how they have been adversely affected by the coronavirus pandemic.

Mr. Mohamed Salisu, a trader at the Keffi market told Media Advocacy West Africa Foundation that business has gone down while traders are recording losses as a result of the coronavirus pandemic.

Salisu said the coronavirus pandemic has resulted in huge low customer patronage leading to loss of income and hardship to the traders.

Salisu said the implication of coronavirus is so glaring that despite the Eid-el-Kabir celebration, people did not patronize them and they did not sell their product.

He, however, told MAWA team who visited the market to interact with traders and measure the impact of the coronavirus on their business and economy, before the outbreak of coronavirus, during the Eid-el-Kabir celebration, they normally record huge sales because many of their customers will buy from them in preparation for the celebration.

But, Salisu disclosed that because of the outbreak of coronavirus, his customers have lost their purchasing power and have since considered buying shoes and clothing for Eid-el-Kabir celebration as a luxury for the rich.

He, however, pointed out that the majority of his customers who are farmers from the village complained they could not sell their farm produce because buyers of their product could not visit their community as a result of the pandemic.

He maintained that has adversely affected his business and put him and other traders in the market in a very unfavorable condition.

“This coronavirus has done us badly, imagine during Sallah celebration nobody came to buy from us, before this ‘Wahala’ during Sallah, we normally make a huge sale,” Salisu told MAWA team.

Asked what he wants the government to do for him and other traders, Salisu said he does not need anything from the government, pointing out the only thing he needs is for the government to take the coronavirus away and allow Keffi residents return to their normal life.

This report is supported by the Open Society Initiative for West Africa OSIWA

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