Christmas: Traders blame low sales on non-payment of December salary

Christmas: Traders blame low sales on
non-payment of December salary
on december 24, 2013 at 8:05 pm in news
Benin – Traders in Benin have decried the low
patronage of food items in the markets by
customers less than 24 hours to Christmas.
Some of the traders who spoke to the News Agency
of Nigeria (NAN) in Benin on Tuesday attributed the
low sales to non-payment of December salaries to
workers in the Edo state.
Mrs Osaremen Iyamu, a rice seller told NAN that
customers had refused to buy her food stuff even
when there was no increase in price.
“We are begging customers to buy from us; they
keep saying no money, that they have not been paid
their December salary.
“We are appealing to the state government to pay
workers so that we will enjoy sales,” Iyamu said.
Mr Tony Osunde, a worker in the state Ministry of
Health said that the situation was pathetic.
He said that he had to borrow some money from a
cooperative to buy new clothes for his children.
“I have already budgeted part of my December
salary for the Christmas and New Year
celebrations. But the salary is yet to be paid.
“We are hoping that we will receive our salaries
before Jan 2014 so that we will use it for the New
Year celebrations,” Osunde said.
Checks at Ikpoba Hill and Oba markets in Benin
showed that the prices of frozen chicken and
turkey, garri, and onions have gone down.
Prices of melon, beans, pepper, yams and rice
remained stable.
While prices of tomatoes, groundnut oil, palm oil,
canned tomatoes, fruits and vegetables went up.
The survey revealed that prices of a carton of
chicken and turkey now sell for N9, 000 and N10,
000, respectively as against N11, 000 and N12,
000. (NAN)

Posted via Blogaway