…Groan over poor patronage
From Charity Nwakaudu, Abuja
Local fast food vendors, popularly known as “Mai Shayi” in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja, are lamenting low patronage due to hike in prices of noodles, eggs and other provisions. A plate of noodles formerly sold for N500 now sells for N1,500, making it very difficult for most of their customers to patronise them.
•Noddles seller
Adumu Abubakar, tea seller, Gudu, said most of his customers prefer eating solid foods, saying that it stays longer in their stomachs, rather than the fancy noodles he sells. He added that during the fasting period, which translates to high sales in their businesses as many prefer to break their fast with them: “That of this year was with a difference because most people could no longer afford to patronise them.”
Market surveys by Daily Sun indicated that a standard-sized packet of noodles costs N300 while the super pack and “hungry man” packets cost N500 and N700, respectively. The ordinary size costs N350 per pack and N13,500 per carton. “Hungry man” size costs N900 a packet and N21,000 for a cartoon.
In Kubwa, Ibrahim Sule said: “This is supposed to be traffic season for me because after breaking fast, most of our brothers start with noodles before other things. But this year, everything thing has changed. They are finding it very difficult to buy because of the price. Some of them even told me that they would rather buy swallows than eat noodles. They said eating solid food would last longer for them than eating fancy noodles.
“I make one ‘hungry-man pack’ with two eggs now for N1,500. But few months ago, I was making it for 500. Also, I sold one super pack for N600 as against N300 a month ago. Many of my customers are complaining because of the increase in prices of noodles and eggs. They are not buying like before.”
Another “Mai Shayi” in Wuse Zone 6, Mustapha Ali, claimed: “This hike in prices of food stuffs, especially noodles have frustrated my business and life generally. This business was said to be one of the most lucrative but now common men can no longer afford it.
“A plate we used to sell for N500 is now between N1, 300 and N1, 500. Last week, I nearly had problem with one of my customers because I didn’t tell him the new price before serving the food. After eating when I requested for my pay ,he said he was having only N1,000 instead of N1,500. It was another man that completed the money for him. It would have resulted to another thing because I wasn’t ready to let go the money.
“We are really suffering. Government should look for a way out because if this thing continues, most people will be forced into bad life. For example, this is the only thing I know how to do well. But the hike in prices of things has closed the business. I must eat, my family must eat. Government should help, it is no longer funny out there. “
Yusuf Bala in Jabi said: “Before, we used to buy noodles for N5,000, it increased to N6,000 and continued increasing. Now it is over N10,000, some N11,000, depending on the size. Customers must reduce, they cannot afford it because of the price now.
“I was making one super pack for N350 three weeks ago. Now I make it for N600, while the hungry man was N450 now it is N850. There are still a lot of people coming to my stand in the morning and evening. They are not as frequent as they once were.
“Some people that used to buy two packs can only afford one pack now. Some don’t even request eggs again. We are not making much gain from this business. If we are to sell to make a good profit, we will not see anybody again.”
Emmanuel Uwgu: “It is now that yams and beans is not expensive, but it is far better than noodles. I have some customers who cannot stay a day without eating noodles. With the recent hike in prices most of them have looked for alternatives. Some say rice is cheaper while others can not even afford the rice, so they go for beans.
“Thank God, I discovered this new business if not by now, I would have locked this shop because most of my customers have moved to beans. Even in my house, I cannot remember when last I cooked it for my kids. They really liked it but the present economic situation have forced us to delete it from our family meal time table.”
A customer, James Ameh, said: “I don’t understand what this country is turning into. Just noodles,they told me N1500. It is not the fault of the sellers because egg is now sold for N150 something that we used to buy N50 few months ago. I can’t buy it oh! I prefer swallow. If I eat swallow of N1,500 it goes a long way.”
“Noodles is now food for the rich, we now eat it on weekly basis. I don’t think I can afford to buy just a plate of noodles for N1,500. Since this increment, I now carry food and water from home to work,” said Ebere Obum, Federal Ministry of Health.