Sallah: Nigerians groan as prices of ram, other items soars

Fuel scarcity, inflation and the parlous state of the economy have driven up prices of rams, cows and other items few days to this year’s Sallah celebration
In most places visited by WesternPost correspondent in Lagos, prices of most items have gone up by between 60 percent to 100 percent, compared to last year.
Consequently, traders are complaining of low patronage because of the high cost, a development they blamed on the Federal Government.
A ram seller at Ipaja, a suburb of Lagos, Mallam Ibrahim Sadiq, who spoke with our correspondent lamented the economic situation in the country, insecurity as well as the ongoing fuel scarcity.
“I bring rams and cows from Northern Nigeria for Sallah festival every year. Last year, a fairly big ram was sold for N65,000. This year, the same size goes for between N95,000 to N100,000.
“The cow that I sold for between N155,000 and N170,000 last year now goes for N260,000 and N275,000.
“The APC government just have to do something about the economy, insecurity and fuel scarcity. This government has not been fair to us,” Sadiq said.
At the ram market at Moshalashi bus stop in Iyana Ipaja, also in Alimosho Local Government, it was the same lamentation by both buyers and sellers.
Mallam Adamu, who is the market leader told WesternPost that a big ram that sold for N150,000 last now goes for N200,000.
“Ram this year is very expensive. It’s almost twice the price we sold last year. Government should come to our rescue,” he said.
At the popular Oke Odo market, many Lagosians doing last minute buying and selling, complained of the high price of goods. A bag of pepper, which sold for N15,000 last year, now sells for N25,000. The price of a basket of tomatoes jumped from N15,000 last year to between N23,000 and N25,000, depending on the size of the basket.
Also, a small basket of onions, which was once N5,000 goes for between N8,000 and N13,000.
A petty trader, Mrs Shadiya who came to buy pepper in the market lamented the high cost, saying things were too expensive.
“I don’t know how I will cope during this festive season,” she added.
Also at Oke Odo, a bag of rice sells for N30,000 or N40,000, depending on the product, while a bottle of groundnut oil starts from N2,000. 
A Muslim faithful, Kehinde Olawale, who lives in Ikotun lamented that the government is not doing anything to cushion the effect of the current hardship facing Nigerians.
He said: “Last year I bought ram for myself and my father. This year, I can’t even buy for myself not to talk of buying for my dad.”