Transporters, operators of shopping malls decry low patronage

chika ebuzor

June 26, 2017 5:20 PM

The Federal Government declared Monday, June 26, 2017 and Tuesday, June 27, 2017, respectively, as public holidays.

A typical night market in Lagos

Transporters and operators of shopping malls in parts of Lagos have been experiencing low patronage as the Eid-el Fitri draws to a close, the News Agency Nigeria (NAN) reports.

A visit by a correspondent of NAN to recreation parks, motor parks, shopping malls in Lagos on Monday, revealed low patronage.

Mr Steven Ayaosi, the Secretary, Idumota Transport Unit, told NAN that the 2016 celebration witnessed more patronage compared to that of this year.

Ayaosi said the reason for the dull celebration was lack of money, adding that he had witnessed many celebrations with celebrants catching fun to the fullest.

“ In 2016, transporters in this unit had by this time started jubilating because of high patronage by Muslim faithful hiring our cabs.

“This year, it is too dull and you can see.

“We have been here since morning and nothing is happening’’ he said.

Ayaosi said that patronage was also low on Sunday because of the heavy rain as many people could not leave their houses and probably because the day was for both Church service and the Eid-el-Fitri.

“Nobody came to hire our cabs since Sunday. In 2016, many customers came to charter our cabs to many places such as Elegusi and Eleko Beaches.

“I remembered vividly that in 2016, I slept in Kalakuta Republic in Ikeja because the customer that hired my vehicle paid for 48 hours.

“What I noticed is that the few people that came out preferred to pay N100 transportation fares charged by `Danfo buses from Idumota to CMS and from CMS to Lekki at N150 or N200. Things are really tight,” he said.

Ismail Bature, a member of the Horse Riders Association (HRA), who brought his horse to the National Theatre for patronage by fun seekers, said it was lull since Sunday.

He said, “You can see that the other six horse riders here are without patronage.’’

“It was when we were at the Lagos Bar Beach that we made a lot of money. At every celebration then, the white people would come around to patronise us and they were paying in dollars.

“My sister, I am on my way home, no point staying further,” Bature said.

Mrs Yomi Aduloju, an employee of the Lagos State Government, was at Spar Shopping Hall on Lagos Island.

Aduloju said that the high prices of commodities constrained many Muslims and their friends to celebrate Eid-el-Fitr indoors.

ALSO READ:How not to celebrate Eid-ul-Fitr

“Many Nigerians have been thought the Fundamentals of Economics that have to do with the scale of preference.

“A container of paint of `Garri’ remains at N1,200. Spending N3,000 on a plate of food at an eatery is not easy for me.

“Apart from `Garri’, prices of other food items are costly too,” she said.

NAN reports that the Federal Government last week declared Monday, June 26, 2017 and Tuesday, June 27, 2017, respectively, as public holidays for Muslims to celebrate the Eid-el- Fitri following the end of the 30-day fasting called the Ramadan.

chika ebuzor