As the economic hardship bites harder, not helped by the recent increase in the pump price of fuel and the flip-flops of government’s policies those at the receiving end are the poor masses. And in the absence of an enabling environment to galvanise industrial and small and medium scale enterprises the operators, like traumatised children have no one else to cry unto for help except the federal, state and local government councils.
That situation led to the recent interaction with one of the operators of a small-scale business, Mrs. Benita Tile who runs the M.D.D. Restaurant located near the gate of Kayode Oladimeji Street, off the Olaniyi canal at Abule-Egba, Lagos. When she started the food business of a restaurant at Premalas Company, at Oladipo Olawale Street, Gate 5 near the popular Adeniyi Jones Road, Ikeja she envisioned one booming business, the proceeds of which would cater for her family and go on to expand to other branches across the state. With her training on how to effectively run the business held at the Catering College, at Ibari Street, off College Road, Ogba, Lagos she was confident of making the difference. But the operational cost has been one Herculean task, in fact a steep mountain to climb.
Stated here was her response to the question on the cost of the food items back then as at compared to the moment: “Sir, when I started the restaurant seven years ago a paint rubber of garri cost four hundred naira (N400). But now it goes for three thousand five hundred naira (N3,500). A bag of yellow garri was sold for five thousand naira (N5,000) but it costs over forty thousand naira (N40,000) as at this day. A bag of rice that cost between seven to eight thousand naira then now goes for between sixty-eight to seventy thousand naira. And a derica of rice that was sold for between one hundred and fifty naira and two hundred naira now costs one thousand, two hundred naira,” she noted.
Furthermore, she stated that: ” A bag of beans that was sold for between thirteen thousand naira and fourteen thousand naira currently sells for over sixty thousand naira. And ten kilograms of semovita that cost one thousand, five hundred naira is now sold for eighteen thousand naira. Oga, things are too costly and I am not finding it easy to cope with running the business. Even the costs of the inputs including soap to wash the dishes have increased”, she lamented. She added that: ” Yet, we have to pay NEPA bill, pay rent for shop, feed the children and send them to school.”
Giving details on the current situation of the operational challenges she stated that while she was able to make reasonable returns on investment at the beginning of the business seven years ago she is hardly able to recoup the returns on investment these days. She explained that: “I am just hustling to eat with the family because of the high cost of running the business. For instance, I spent over an hour at the popular Abbatoir on the way to Agege but it was difficult to get meat to buy. The one I bought for thirty thousand naira is nothing to write about. The cost of transportation from here to the place which used to be two hundred naira is five hundred naira today.”
On innovations to take her business to greater heights she stated that: “Though I introduced the sales of lager beer and soft drinks two years ago there has not been much profit to make”. But why? That was my question. The purchasing power of the average customer is low. As people are finding it difficult to eat how can they talk about having a drink? That is how serious the situation has become,” she explained. All the same over the past three years she has been able to renovate the shop, equip it with new tables, chairs, and a giant deep freezer. The aim of course, is to rebrand the restaurant, given the busy location to attract more customers. She offers the popular ‘swallow’ foods such as Eva, semovita and fufu all served with delicacies such as oha, afan, egusi and vegetable soups. The cost is affordable with a plate of any of such with a piece of meat selling for eight hundred naira only, or one thousand naira if it goes with two pieces of meat
As a passionate caterer who is giving all she has to ensure that the business succeeds she wants government’s intervention to sustain her vision.” Let the government assist us to make sure that the cost of food items, other inputs, electricity tariff and running the business is reduced.” The reason is that she has it amongst her plans for the future to expand it to have different outlets.” I love doing this business and people appreciate what I offer the public. So, I want government’s intervention to sustain and grow the business,” she added with a smile.
Indeed, there are hundreds of thousands of Benitas struggling to make a living with their medium and small-scale enterprises on daily basis. The policy makers should give a listening ear to their cries and clarion call of the SME operators for their businesses to survive and thrive. And that is because, the primary purpose of government is to provide for the people’s welfare, while guaranteeing their security.
