Kano commodities sellers welcome border closure

Commodities sellers in Kano international vegetable market Yankaba have commended federal government for closing land borders to boost the country’s economy.

The Chairman ‘Yan Albasa section of the market, Alhaji Umar said the multiplier effects of the border closure are already manifesting on various sectors of the economy, urging the populace to remain resolute and supportive to the government as it moves to build a sustainable future for the country.

Malam Hamza Yusuf, who spoke to our reporter on behalf of the chairman, said though they have lost some of their customers from the neighbouring countries, but the closure of the border had saved grocery sellers from undue competition with packaged imported products.

“Before the closure of the land borders, we operate at the mercy of the importers who always force us to operate at a loss, you could remember how our local markets were flooded with packaged products including tomato, and because of that we always run at lost since we deal with perishable products.

“Today I can tell you that because of the economic policies of the government many have gone back to farm, they produce and sell, like myself owing to this development I eventually ventured into farming and many of us are doing good at that,” he said.

He, however, appealed to the government at all levels to invest into grocery business by equipping the market with modern infrastructure to mitigate the level of damage to the perishable products.

“Our concern in this market is lack of warehouses to store our unsold products. We deal in perishable goods and we supply to almost all states of Nigeria and beyond. If the federal, state and local governments can invest into this business and build warehouses for us it will better our lives and it would improve the revenue generation of the government,” Yusuf added

Malama Harira who was at the market to buy some groceries complained that the prices of the commodities have skyrocketed in just a couple of weeks.

She said a medium bag of pepper which used to be five thousand naira, is now being sold at nine thousand naira.

Malama Harira blamed the sudden shift in price to the closure of the border which she described as a punishment to ordinary Nigerians.