Ram sellers blame Buhari’s anti-graft war for low sales

Some ram sellers in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) have said the anti-corruption campaign of President Muhammadu Buhari was responsible for their low sales.

Ram sellers at Gwarinpa, Galadimawa Roundabout, and Dutse lamented that the era when politicians, ministries, and government agencies throng their stands to buy in bulk for distribution was over.

The chairman of the ram sellers in one of the roadside markets in Gwarinpa, Garba Abdullahi, said despite the drastic reduction in prices, sales have been discouraging.

“Last year the 300 rams I brought did not stay long because people, especially politicians, and top government officilas bought like 10 or 20 at once. They came here with pick-up vans,” Garba said.

Garba added that people are now avoiding such, “for fear of investigation.”

He said he has just sold few of the 250 rams he brought from Zamfara State this year due to the absence of his ‘big customers.’

Bashir Mohammed, another ram seller said delay in the appointment of ministers and other top government officials by the president could be partly responsible for the low sales.

Bashir said politicians that buy rams to donate to these government functionaries could not do so now.

In Kubwa, an Abuja satellite town in Bwari Area Council, ram sellers said customers just come to price without the intention of buying.

“Unlike last year, when I sold about 10 rams per day, this year things are bad,” Malam Ibrahim Musa, a trader who spoke to our reporter at Federal Housing, Kubwa said.

Musa attributed the low patronage to the slow start of President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration, saying, “Civil servants are complaining that everywhere is tight and that is affecting our business.”

Also in Madalla Market, a ram seller, Mr. Mohammed Auwal told City News that this year’s sale is incomparable to 2014.

“Last year we brought more than 1,000 rams and the way the market is now, I believe that God can do everything,” he said.

Meanwhile, the ram sellers have commended the Buhari administration for the offensive approach to dislodge terrorists in the North East.

Bashir Mohammed said many of the traders brought rams from Borno state, a place they could not access last year.

However, ram sellers said prices were drastically reduced to welcome the change era of President Muhammadu Buhari.

Chairman of the ram sellers said last year big rams sold for N150, 000 but now cost between N100, 000 and N110, 000 while those that were sold for N120, 000 in 2014 now go for N80, 000. The small rams he said could be gotten between N30, 000 and N40, 000.