Across-section of Muslim faithful in Abia and Imo states have blamed the low-key Sallah celebration on the economic downturn and high cost of livestock.
Speaking in separate interviews in Umuahia and Owerri, they complained that many families could not afford to buy ram because of the price hike.
Meanwhile, some of the livestock dealers attributed the low patronage recorded during the celebration to the more than 100 per cent increase in the price of ram in the market.
They also blamed the high cost of ram on the hike in transportation cost, saying that they were spending so much to bring down the rams from the North to South.
In Abia, a roadside livestock dealer, Zakiru Husseini, said that the price of ram shot up by over 100 per cent.
Mr Husseini said that a small ram sold for N60,000 last year now goes for N170,000, while a medium-size ram, sold at about N100,000 now sells for about N300,000.
He also said that the biggest ram, sold between N200,000 and N300,000 now sells for N600,000 or more.
According to him, the cost of transporting livestock from the North to Abia had put his business under serious stress.
“In the past, it cost between N1,000 and N2,000 to transport one ram from the north to Abia, but today, I pay N6,000 for one,” he said.
According to him, the hike in transport cost also affected other livestock and traders are finding it difficult to cope.
“Three years ago, if you had N1million you could buy between 20 and 30 goats, but now it is not the same. The situation is very frustrating and discouraging for us in the business,” Mr Husseini said.
He called on the Federal Government to evolve policies that would address the issue of high cost of transportation.
Also, Mohammed Mamman said that the price of livestock, especially ram, doubled because of the high cost of feeding and transporting them to Abia.
Mr Mamman said that one ram presently sells for between N150,000 and N200,000, arguing that the amount was beyond the reach of an average Muslim.
He also said that most of his customers resorted to observing the Eid in prayers alone this year, hoping that things would improve by next year.
In a related development, reports noted that transportation cost remained stable from Umuahia to other parts of the country, even during Sallah celebration.
The fare from Umuahia to Abuja costs N22,500, Umuahia to Kaduna costs N25,000, Umuahia to Bauchi costs N30,000, Umuahia to Owerri costs N3,000 and Umuahia to Port Harcourt costs between N4,000 and N5,000.
Also, from Umuahia to Lafia is between N18,000 and N20,000, while Umuahia to Jos is N25,000.
Umuahia to Calabar costs N13,500 and Umuahia to Lagos costs between N35,000 and N41,000.
A member of the National Union of Road Transport Workers, who identified himself only as Francis, said that transport fares were stable, the Sallah celebration notwithstanding.
Mr Francis said that he anticipated a slight increase in fares after the festival when holiday makers would be returning to their base leading to a rush.
In Imo, livestock sellers in Owerri, the state capital, lamented low patronage during the celebration.
A visit to the livestock market on Egbu Road showed that the dealers still had a large stock of unsold animals.
A trader, Usman Halilu, stated that he bought 20 rams ahead of the celebrations but had only managed to sell three as of Saturday morning.
Mr Halilu said, “I always sold at least 25 rams during festive periods in previous years.”
Mr Halilu said that a large ram, sold at about N350,000 last year, now goes for at least N400,000, while those that sold for 200,000, now sell between N260,000 and N300,000.
He blamed the hike in the price of livestock on the high cost of animal feeds and transportation.
Another livestock dealer, Hassan Aliyu, said that the cost of transportation from the North shot up significantly before the Eid celebration, which reflected in the hike in the price of the rams.
He also said that goats, sold between N80,000 and N90,000 about one month ago, now sell above N110,000, while some go for as high as N120,000.
Interstate transport fares remained stable from Owerri.
From the city to Abuja by a 14-seater sprinter bus ranges from N35,000 to N39000, and between N28,000 and N45,000 to Lagos
Meanwhile, prices of food items, including rice, tomatoes, onions, yam, groundnut oil, and vegetables, surged significantly in major markets located on Douglas Road, Relief and World Bank areas.
At Relief Market, a trader, Judith Ikenna, said a bag of pepper, which sold for N150,000 previously, now sells for N200,000.
Ms Ikenna further disclosed that a basket of chili pepper, popularly called shombo, also went up from N120,000 to N180,000.
She said that tomatoes also went up significantly with a basket now selling for N180,000 as against N130,000 last week.
Musa Abubakar, who sells grains, said a 50kg bag of rice now sells between N110,000 and N120,000.
He said, “Many families are struggling to afford food and ram due to the harsh economic situation in the country.”
(NAN)
