Lagos- Hamper sellers at Apogbon market, CMS, Lagos on Thursday complained about low turnout of buyers, saying the yuletide has not been eventful as expected.
Speaking with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), some of them said that they recorded low sale unlike previous festive periods when people engaged in shopping spree.
Mrs Toyin Banire, who sells hampers at Apongbon market, recalled that customers were coming in multitudes this time last year.
“Last year, we made sales from the beginning of December till early this year.
“But it is a different story this year as you can see, the whole place is dry,’’ she said.
Mr Lanre Olukoya, another trader, told NAN that some people attributed the low turn out to non-payment of salaries to some civil servants.
He, however, expressed optimism that market would boom in the New Year.
“Some customers complained that they could not make purchases for the Christmas because they had not received salary.
“We hope to make more sales by New Year,’’ Olukoya told NAN.
Similarly, Mrs Omolola Ajibade, another hamper seller, said that she might dismantle the hampers and sell the items separately.
“This place used to be crowded but as you can see, we may have to bring out the items and sell one after the other if the market continues like this,’’ she said.
The traders appealed to the government to pay the salaries of workers so that they can shop for the New Year. (NAN)