As Muslim faithful prepare to commence Sallah celebration tomorrow, Thursday, September 24, 2015, traders and ram sellers in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) have decried low patronage of their goods.

Speaking with newsmen yesterday, a rice seller at Dutse market in Bwari area council, Gabriel Okeke, said the price of food stuff was not affected by preparations for the Sallah.

He said: “We sell a bag of rice between N10, 000 to N8, 900, depending on the type of rice you want to buy. You know the economy is though right now so people are managing any way they can; for now there is no rush and we hope the situation will improve so that we can sell our wares.”

He decried the low patronage of food stuff by residents, attributing it to the current economic situation in the nation.

Another trader, Musa Hassan, a tomato and onion seller, collaborated Okeke’s claims, saying the market did not witness excitement and rush that preceded previous celebrations, expressing hope that the situation will improve today.

“ I believe they will start coming to buy things on the eve of Wednesday or even Thursday morning. My small basket of tomatoes is still N800 or N1, 000 depending on customers bargaining power,” he stated.

A ram seller at Dutse market, Mallam Husseini Dogo, said that contrary to previous Sallah celebrations, they are currently experiencing low patronage, saying he has sold only 10 out of the 50 rams he bought since last week.

He said the big rams cost between N110, 000 and N130, 000 while the medium ones cost between N50, 000 and N60, 000 and the small ones between N30, 000 and N40,000.

He lamented over the low patronage, saying the rams that sold for N120, 000 last year now goes for N80, 000 because of the harsh economic situation in the country.

In his reaction, an FCT resident, Zubairu Yusuf, said the low patronage of traders may not be unconnected to the economic situation in the country.

“We are ready for the Sallah celebration despite the financial meltdown in the country. People do not have money to buy ram, food items or clothing because of the current cash crunch in the nation but we thank Allah that we’re alive to celebrate Sallah; that is the most important thing,” he added.