Jeff Amechi Agbodo, Onitsha
Barely one week to Christmas, Onitsha Main Market in Anambra State, has been flooded as the buyers stormed the facility and other in the commercial city for their last-minute purchases.
The rush was due to the fact that major markets would be closed for the year on Monday. Buyers were seen trooping to the markets to make their purchases in order to beat the deadline for the closure of markets.
The situation has caused gridlocks on most of the city’s roads despite the efforts of police traffic officers, the state and local government traffic management agencies to ease the traffic congestion.
The traders who spoke to our correspondent complained of low patronage despite the presence of many buyers in the markets, saying that only few came to buy reasonable goods while others came to pick just few items.
Mr. Onyeka Nwozor, a trader, said not all the people struggling and rushing into the market were genuine buyers but thieves who came to steal people’s money and goods, and warned buyers to guard their money and goods.
“It has been like this every year; you will see people struggling in the market without buying anything, some are thieves while others came to buy one of two items; the main people that buy goods don’t come at this time, they came earlier and called us to do ware bill for them.”
Another trader, Obinna Madu, said that the hardship affected their sale this season as their customers could not come to the market due to lack of money leading to the increase in transportation fare.
“We are not selling anything, don’t let these people flooding the market deceive you, some came to buy one item or two and not those who came to buy wholesale. We did not increase the price of goods because we know there is no money in the country now.
“We are not selling with much gain; we sell to sustain our customers and to ensure that we remain in the business. Some people have closed their shops because of low patronage and lack of money to continue with their business,” Madu lamented.