Some eatery operators in Kano metropolis have decried low patronage occasioned by the lockdown measures adopted to prevent spread of Coronavirus in the state.
A cross section of the food vendors, who spoke with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in separate interview on Thursday in Kano, said they were not recording sales since the lockdown in the past 10-days.
Mrs Shema’u Yar’gada, an eatery operator at Kofar Dan Agundi area of the metropolis, said that customers were not forthcoming since the state government directed civil servants and students to stay-at-home due to Coronavirus pandemic.
“Coronavirus pandemic is really affecting my business, the patronage is very low compared to before.
“I now sold less than 10 plates of food as against 50 plates before the lockdown.
“People are even scare to buy food now from us and students who patronise us are on holidays.
” I am even thinking of relocating to another place for my business to blossom and enable me remain in business,” Yar’gada said.
Another food vendor, Ada Ofiong, at New Road, Sabo Gari, said that she serves food to offices and banks.
“I am still supplying meal to my customers, the trade is moving smoothly. I pray that the lockdown would soon be over so that it would not affect my business.
“Now, some workers are no longer reporting to work for the past one week, the trend affected my business,” she said.
Also, Zainab Yusuf, a fast food canteen keeper, at Bayero University Kano (BUK), who corroborated earlier opinion, said that she was not making good sales since closure of the school.
Yusuf recounted that she used to make good savings from the trade in view of the high number customers patronising her services.
“Now; I hardly sell due to the closure of the school, there are no students and workers to buy from my shop.
“During school session; I made about N5, 000 profit daily from the trade, sadly it dropped to less N2, 000 since the enforcement of the lockdown,” she said.
Yusuf, however, commended the government for proactive measures adopted to prevent spread of the virus.