With few hours to this year’s Eid Adha, popularly called, Eid-el Kabir, prices of animals to be slaughtered are on the increase, even as they are available in the markets.
A visit to some ram markets within the Katsina State metropolis attests to the fact as the complaints are either price hike, occasioned by the banditry bedevilling the state, or the exchange rate of the Central African Currency, CFA.
Some also advised Muslims who do not have the means to slaughter any animal this year, as a result of the economic situation, not to overtask themselves, but rather plan for next year’s Eid-el Adha.
The popular saying that water is everywhere, yet no drop to drink, is playing out in some ram markets in Katsina, as there is the availability of the animals, but they are witnessing scarce buyers.
It is few hours to the celebration, the usual rush to make the last-minute purchase is missing, as visits to some ram markets confirmed the claim.
Those who were seen in high spirits, who have come to purchase more than one ram, are either weighing other options of going back or settling for at least one.
Aliyu Matazu is one among the buyers, with a budget of 150, 000 Naira to purchase two rams, but is disappointed due to the price hike as compared to that of last year.
The one he was about to purchase was going for 150, 000 Naira. He has resorted to considering other options.
He blamed lack of money on the fewer people buying as almost 80 per cent of the Katsina populace are civil servants waiting on the state government for July salary which they have not received at the time of filing this report.
For Mas’ud Gafai, one of the sellers, he blamed the exchange rate of the Naira to the CFA and the banditry bedevilling the state as reasons for the price hike.
Gafai added that they go to the Niger Republic to bring in the rams, and are faced with the exchange rate issues.
He said, as a result, the bigger rams are going for between 200, 000 Naira and above while the smallest ones are being sold for 40, 000 Naira.