Charcoal traders lament lockdown extension in Lagos

By Sunday Ogundiran

The association of charcoal suppliers and traders, Oshodi-Isolo branch has lamented over the 14 days extension of the total lockdowns in Lagos State as announced by President Muhammad Buhari.

Speaking with ECHONEWS, one of the executive members of the association in Ejigbo, Mrs. Aisha Ganiu said the business has been greatly affected since they could not get supply from the farm due to restriction on movement.

She noted that the first two weeks of the lockdown were terrible on the traders, adding that the extension by another two weeks would ground their business totally.

“Already, many of us do not have any charcoal in store for sale again. We are unable to transport the products from other states from where we get our supply.

“Despite the fact that charcoal remains another alternative to kerosene and gas as one of the essential household products, we are not allowed to bring in the product. Many people still use charcoal even for industrial use.”

Stating that marketers now transport the lightning,cooking good during late hours of 1:am -2:am with additional charges on transportation which will affect marketers, individual price offering the sales of the product.

Mrs. Fatimo Oyemomilara, a charcoal wholesaler around pipeline Ejigbo told our correspondent that some of the traders spent additional charges to transport the product from Oyo state to Lagos in the midnight, making the price of the product to be higher at this period.