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Ram sellers bemoan low patronage, customers lament exorbitant prices

Ram sellers bemoan low patronage, customers lament exorbitant prices

By Mohammed Lawal
Rams
Zaria (Kaduna State), Aug. 9, 2019 (NAN) Barely two days to Eid-el-Kabir, ram sellers in Zaria, Kaduna State, are bemoaning low patronage, while some customers are lamenting over the exorbitant prices of rams.
A correspondent of the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) who visited different selling points in Zaria, reports that the ram traders were still hopeful of an improved sales before the Sallah day.
Alhaji AbdulMuminu Alhassan, the Sarkin Turken Sarkin Zazzau, told NAN at Kofar Doka, Zaria, that the level of patronage this year was very low compared to last year’s.
He attributed the low patronage to scarcity of funds in the hands of common people due to economic challenges.
Alhassan added that this year’s Eid-el-Kabir landed at the middle of the month when most faithful had spent their salaries to take care of their day-to-day problems.
He appealed to government at all levels to assist their people especially during important festive periods that fall at the middle of the month by paying half salary in advance.
He, however, said despite the economic situation some customers could still afford to buy the rams according to their financial capability.
The traditional ruler said with just N15,000 one could buy a ram to discharge the religious obligation, adding that small rams in the market cost about N15,000 while the biggest go for N120,000.
Alhassan however enjoined traders to be just and moderate in dealing with their customers to enable Muslims get the ram at relatively low prices.
Malam Aliyu Sani, a ram seller in Zaria city, attributed the low patronage to lack of vibrant economic activities in the country.
He urged Nigerians not to rely 100 per cent on white-collar-jobs, advising that they should also engage in petty businesses that are abound in their respective areas.
Sani said put the prices of the rams in that area at N25,000 to N90,000 depending on the size of the sacrificial animal.

Another ram seller at Tudun Wada, Malam Idris Ibrahim, called on prospective buyers not to panic, but should go to the selling points to find out the actual prices themselves instead of depending on rumour.
He said that the prices were not extremely high and they may be able to afford it, adding that with N20,000 to N22,000 one would be able to discharge his religious obligation of offering a ram.
A ram seller at Queen FM selling point also told NAN on anonymity that the patronage was generally very low compared to previous years.
He said the ram business was not as profitable as it used to be, saying that it is one of the reasons why many residents refused to engage in the business.
“Many have abandoned the business due to what is happening. This year, only those of us with large minds decided to try the business once again.
“Last year, many ram sellers had to take back their animals due to lack of patronage, however, we are hopeful this year will not be the same,” he said.
Meanwhile, some customers have decried the high cost of rams in most of the selling points, describing it as lack of contentment by the ram sellers.
Alhaji Aliyu Baban-Karfi, a customer, urged the traders to keep their prices moderate to give many people the opportunity to discharge their religious obligation.
Baban-Karfi however observed that many faithful do not buy ram early due to storage problem, saying that some people prefer to buy the ram on the Sallah day.
He noted the rams were very costly but hoped that the prices would gradually reduce, attributing the initial high cost in prices to payment of salaries at the end of the month.
Malam Mohammed Garba, a civil servant, said the prices of rams in some areas were above roof tops, saying many sellers are out to make huge profits at the expense of buyers.
“Many people are scared of going to the selling points because some of the sellers are just out to extort money from buyers.
“Some purchase the rams when the animals were very cheap only to come and triple the price at this festive period, this is not good for the society at all,” he said. (NAN)
KLM/EOB/MST
Edited by Edith Bolokor/Muhammad Suleiman Tola

General news

Eid-el-kabir: Buyers groan over high prices of ram in FCT

Eid-el-Kabir: Buyers groan over high prices of ram in FCT
By Veronica Dariya
Sacrifice
Bwari (FCT), Aug. 18, 2018 (NAN) Some buyers of ram in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) are groaning over “high prices’’ of the sacrificial animal in major markets as the Eid-el-Kabir celebration draws nearer, the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports.
The Eid-el-Kabir is an annual Islamic festival of ram sacrifice decreed to able faithful as an act of Ibadah (worship) to Almighty Allah as practiced by Muslims globally.
A NAN correspondent who visited the Deidei livestock market and Dutse market, respectively, reports that the prices of small, average and big rams at both markets ranged between N35,000, N60,000 and N100,000.
NAN reports that some of the buyers expressed dissatisfaction with the high cost of the rams in the markets.
At Dei-dei market, a buyer, who identified himself as Malam Isah Nanono, attributed the situation to the prevailing economic challenges in the country.
Nanono told NAN that he came to purchase a big ram but ended up with a small one because he couldn’t afford his choice due to its high price.
“The one I ended up buying cost me N35,000, while the medium size I wanted to buy went for a negotiable price of N60,000.
“I have visited many ram markets around town but couldn’t buy any because of the high cost, that is why I came here hoping it would be better.
“Many buyers came here and couldn’t afford the rams and they went home disappointed.
“I am appealing to the government to look into the problem or else many Muslims will not be able to afford rams during this Eid-el-Kabir and more to come,” he said.
Another prospective buyer, Mr Rilwanu Isa, said that he could not believe what he was asked to pay for an average sized ram.
According to him, Allah does not put a burden on anyone who couldn’t afford the sacrifice.
He said: “I could not buy and I just had to go back and from all indications, it will be higher in the few days remaining for the festival.
“If Allah permits me to buy, I will come and buy but people must know that Allah has not put a burden on any Muslim who cannot afford a ram.
“If you can afford, good, buy it, and if you can’t, then leave it. It is not a luxury, it is for sacrifice.”
Isa noted that although the traders have their reasons for the high prices, they should also put into consideration the purchasing power of an average income earner, while emphasising that people are only trying to fulfil their religious obligations.
However, Malam Ibrahim Liman, who sells ram at Deidei market, attributed insurgency and high cost of living in the country as some of the major causes for the rise in cost.
He explained that some of them in the business from the north-east have lost their animals to the insurgency and have been forced to import from Niger Republic and Chad, just to remain in the business.
“Bringing rams from these countries can be very expensive, plus one has to transport them to other states, Abuja inclusive.
“I arrived here with some of my boys with the commodity since about a week now, with over 200 rams yet we could only sell a few, not up to 50.
“Buyers come, bargain prices and go without buying because they are also complaining that there is no money in the country, everything in the market has increased in price, not just ram.
“It is not our fault, we did not buy them cheap too and even the ones we reared ourselves are expensive because it is not easy to feed and rear animals for two or more years, it costs money,” he said.
NAN also reports that the Federal Government had declared Aug. 21 and 22 as public holidays to mark the festival. (NAN)
DVK/MST
Edited by Muhammad Suleiman Tola