Firewood, charcoal sellers express mixed feelings over cost of transportation

Some firewood and charcoal sellers in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) have expressed mixed feelings over the cost of transportation of their goods after the removal of fuel subsidies.

They told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Monday in Abuja that the cost of transportation has affected their business negatively.

Mr. Muhammad Hamisu, who sells firewood at Area 1, Garki, decried the high cost of transporting goods from its supply point to the city center.

Hamisu said that the recent economic downturn has not only disrupted his pattern of business but also cut down on his profit.

He said that the firewood he buys from Nasarawa State, which initially cost him N45, 000 to transport to the FCT, now costs N65, 000 to transport the same quantity of firewood.

”The increase is on transporting the goods from Nassarawa to Abuja, and by the time we add the cost of transportation to the items, it drives away our customers.

”I used to sell one piece of firewood for N100, but now it goes for N150. Some even sell at N200, but we noticed that patronage has dropped significantly, so I reverted to selling mine for N100 per one.

”I used to make a profit of N25,000 to N30,000 in a week before, but now I barely make a gain of N8,000 in a week,” he said.

Hamisu said that he would not relent but keep the business afloat until the economic situation improved and the standard of living normalized.

Mr. James Ochajo, who sells charcoal in Nyanya, said that he had to increase the price of charcoal from N100 to N120 to make up for the cost of transportation.

Ochajo, while praying for a divine intervention for the country’s economy, urged the Federal Government to put measures in place to cushion the effect of the changes.

Meanwhile, Mrs. Dorathy Boluwatife, who also sells charcoal in Wuse, said that she had yet to feel the impact of the fuel subsidy removal on her business.

She said that she had yet to increase changes in the price of her goods because she still had old stock to sell.

”I bought my charcoal in large quantities, so I haven’t added anything to it yet. I still sell it at the normal price of N100 per nylon bag.

”If I order more goods and I notice that there’s an increase in the price either because of transportation or because of the goods themselves, then that is when I will adjust the price to make up for it.

” For now, nothing has changed and I still enjoy patronage, she said

NAN reports that the Federal Government removed a subsidy on petrol in May while the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation increased the fuel price from N195 to N530 per liter.