Niger small business owners groan over epileptic power supply

Small business owners including fresh tomato sellers and printers have lamented that the epileptic power supply being experienced in Minna, the Niger State capital is crippling their means of livelihood.

Mostly affected are fresh tomato and pepper sellers who claimed that they are losing market as customers are finding it difficult to store the commodity in their refrigerators.

The Chairman, Fresh Tomato, Pepper, Onion and Vegetable Sellers Association, Alhaji Bala Kura, said the patronage was not as it used to be, calling on the government to intervene.

One of the tomato buyers, Mrs Amina Sadeeq told City & Crime at the tomato market in Minna that “We used to buy in large quantities and store some in our fridge but we no longer do that. We buy what we can use for the day because there is no light to store them. So, they get spoilt. In my area, Gbeganu, we’ve not had close to one-hour power supply in the last two years. So, how do you store fresh tomato and pepper? Recently, I had poured away large quantities of tomato and pepper that got spoilt.”

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Similarly, printers lamented over the epileptic power supply, saying that their businesses have been grounded.

Mr Sunday Samuel told our correspondent that “Some days, I don’t do anything because, if I buy N5, 000 fuel, it doesn’t take me anywhere. Before you know, it is finished.”