Some butchers in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) have appealed to the federal government to intervene in rising meat transportation costs.
They want the government to intervene to make meat more affordable for consumers.
The butchers made the appeal in an interview on Sunday in Abuja.
The secretary of the Butchers Association, Dei-Dei market, Yaqub Abdullahi, said the recent reduction in petrol prices had yet to translate into lower transport fares.
He said the development was affecting their businesses and increasing the cost of meat.
Mr Abdullahi said the increase in transportation costs arising from fuel subsidy removal had significantly affected the prices of meat and other food products.
“Before now, meat was about ₦5,000 to N5,500 per kilogramme, but now, one kilogramme costs about ₦8,000 to N8,500,” he said.
He described the continued rise in transportation costs as a significant burden on both traders and consumers.
The secretary urged the federal government to take measures to reduce transportation costs and make essential food products more affordable.
Another butcher, Shehu Musa, called for the modernisation of the market, particularly where butchers operate.
He said the existing market facilities did not reflect the status of the nation’s capital.
“Abuja is an international city. People from outside Nigeria come here; they should be able to visit our markets, buy things and patronise our businesses,” he said.
Mr Musa said the condition of the market, including the road leading to it and other infrastructure, required urgent government attention.
Similarly, Saheed Dauda, a butcher, noted that the Abuja Municipal Area Council occupied an important position within the FCT, adding that businesses operating in the area should have access to modern facilities.
“We need the government to understand our situation and modernise our market,” he said.
Mr Dauda said he had lived in Abuja since 1985 and witnessed the city’s transformation under successive administrations but expressed concern that some markets had not received similar improvements.
He also questioned how taxes and service charges collected by market management authorities benefit traders.
“Abuja market management officials come every month to collect taxes and service charges from us.
“We want to see the benefits and returns,” he said.
Mr Dauda commended the federal government for improvements on some roads, including from the city centre towards Life Camp.
He said more needed to be done to improve access to the markets.
Another butcher, Sani Hussain, also appealed for improved roads, better facilities and a modern trading environment that would enable butchers to operate in a clean environment.
“We want to see a change. We want governments to modernise our market; we want better infrastructure and a clean environment for butchers and their customers,” he said.
(NAN)
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