Some petty traders and craftsmen and women in Ikorodu, Lagos, on Saturday counted their losses to the lockdown of the state in the past one month.
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In interviews with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Ikorodu, the self-employed residents said that their families were starving due to their inability to generate daily income.
They also said that their business capitals had depleted as they resorted to feeding from them.
The residents, however, noted that the lockdown was well-intended by both Lagos State and federal governments.
Mrs Amuda Aminu, who sells pap and ‘akara” to motorists and motorcyclists at Adamo Bus Stop in Ikorodu, told NAN that she had lost patronage due to the lockdown.
The mother of four said that the lockdown had inflicted hardship on her family .
“I make a living by selling pap and ‘akara’ to motorists, motorcyclists and others in motor parks in the morning, but since people cannot go out, I cannot sell.
“My children are hungry and suffering, my husband is a driver; he too is grounded at home, we cannot make ends meet.
“The palliative that we heard that government is sharing is yet to get to us.
“We had never experienced hunger like this,” she said.
The food vendor, however, noted that the lockdown was well-intended – to curb the spread of coronavirus.
Mrs Olusola Aluko, who sells cooked rice in a kiosk in front of her house at No. 34, Akaun St., Adamo, told NAN that she had been suffering low patronage as a result of the extended lockdown.
“People do not have money to buy food as most people survive on daily earnings,
“I cater for parties during weekends, but since the lockdown, there is no means of making money,” she said.
Mr Chijioke Okechukwu, who owns a small provision and food stuff store by a roadside at Agufoye, Ikorodu, said that the lockdown had negatively affected his business.
“I still open my shop during the stipulated time of 10:00a.m. to 2:00p.m. since I sell food items, but I have been running at a loss.
“My regular customers, who usually paid in full for whatever they bought, now buys on credit.
“I pray this lockdown is lifted soon and coronavirus becomes a thing of the past because people are hungry.
“We appeal to governments – local, state and federal, well-meaning Nigerians and religious bodies to come to our aid; the hunger is real.
“It breaks my heart that people who could afford to pay for the things they bought before, cannot even afford to pay for N50 ground pepper and tomato paste,” he said.
Mr Mubarak Akindele, a furniture maker at Mopol Junction Agufoye, said: “Since the lockdown, I have been finding it difficult to feed my wife and two kids.
“My workshop is at home, apart from household furniture, I make stools, tables and benches for shop owners, tailors, shoemakers and food vendors.
“Before the lockdown, I could sell at least four or five benches or stools in a day.
“With that, I could get little money to put food on the table, but now there is nothing, no means of survival.
“I just hope that it all ends this week because we are yet to get any palliative in this area.”