Mr Isyaka Hadeijia, Chairman, Ram Market, Bogobiri, Calabar, Cross River State, on Monday, decried the excessive extortion of livestock transporters in the country.
Hadeijia said in Calabar that he paid N300,000 for the vehicle that transported his rams from the North to Calabar.
He said that he needed to source for another N300,000 for the driver to settle various collections and extortions on the road.
According to him, “I have no option other than to add those extortions to the price of the rams making them more expensive”.
He called on government to help reduce the number of people collecting different monies on the roads, adding that the security operatives did not help matters.
Hadeijia said that the security operatives were part of those that excessively extorted transporters.
“I pay N300,000 for the transportation of my rams but before the rams get here, another N300,000 goes for the various collections and extortions on the roads.
“For us to make profit, we have to add this to the cost of the rams. Our security operatives are not left out, they are there to protect us but instead, they extort the drivers; government should make sure these excessive extortions stop as they affect business,” he said.
He, however, said he was making more sales in 2019 than he did in 2018 even though the rams were more expensive, this he attributed to people having more money to spend.
He added that the prices of rams varied between N40,000 and N70,000, depending on their sizes.
In his remark, Abdulahi Yakub, a buyer, said the rams were more expensive in 2019 as compared to what he bought in 2018.
““In 2018 Sallah, I bought ram for N25,000 but in 2019, the price has soared to N35,000 even though that of last year was bigger.”
Yakub urged government to ensure that unemployment was reduced by establishing industries and enabling environment for investors to build companies in the country.
“It is not about giving people money because if you give people money, they spend it and start looking for another one. But when people are employed they manage their lives better,” he said.
