Economic hardship: South-East traders lament low patronage, high costs

…Residents demand government intervention as traders seek grants, lower levies By Ugochukwu Alaribe, Chinedu Adonu, Vincent Ujumadu, Jeff Agbodo, Chimaobi Nwaiwu and Emma Iheaka UMUAHIA — Residents and traders across the South-East have lamented the rising cost of goods and services, declining consumer purchasing power and worsening business conditions, urging the Federal Government to introduce measures to ease the economic hardship.

Onitsha traders allege harassment, multiple challenges Beyond declining sales and high operating costs, traders in Onitsha also identified multiple taxation, rising shop rents, alleged harassment and disputes over business premises as major challenges.

A former market union leader and trader at Ozomagala Building Materials Market, Mr Kenneth Okafor, called for government intervention over what he described as alleged harassment of traders by some law enforcement personnel in connection with disputes over shop leases.