Kelechi Esogwa-Amadi
Despite recent claims by the federal government that Nigeria is coming out of recession, the effects are yet to be felt by foam sellers in Port Harcourt.
According to some foam sellers recently interviewed by theportcitynews.com in several areas of Port Harcourt, since three years now, patronage has been very poor as, according to them, many people now complain of lack of money.
Charles Okoro, a foam dealer who buys his goods from Aba and supplies to some retailers in Port Harcourt, cried that the business is no longer lucrative.
He said: “I used to make close to seventy thousand naira every week but for the past three years, I don’t make up to thirty thousand naira now because my customers are going out of business and those who still manage to buy from me do so on credit. They complain that there are no customers. I think it is because of the bad economy.”
For Ucheson Ekenta, who sells foam at Mile 3, in Diobu axis of Port Harcourt, foam selling business is totally going down.
He said: “My brother, I find it difficult to even see my capital. Since 2015, my business has been having problem and many of my customers don’t come again. It’s like people are not packing into new houses again like before because even the rent in Port Harcourt is increasing. I’m really tired of this business.”
Mike Ntia, another foam dealer in Town area of Port Harcourt, said: “Foam business is not like other businesses. When somebody buys foam now, he may not buy again for the next 10 years. That is why it is disturbing us. They just want to be managing what they have.”
They expressed hope that the economy will improve and the business will pick up again.
