|
Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...
|
State of Emergency (SOE) is now one month in Rivers State, and a survey reveals growing discomfort and a wish for return of democracy.
The most important experience by traders is slowing down cashflow which business owners notice first; a result of sweeping sacks of political office holders.
Many business owners say this came as a rude shock. The first pain, they said, is feeling of uncertainty which is an enemy of business planning.
Some business owners in the state said sales volumes have dropped tremendously because most persons now seem to live by the day. Protests rocking the state also indicate there is no end in sight of the political crisis rocking the state.
Read also: Emerging signs in Rivers politics in the face of state of emergency
First area to fall victim is leisure and entertainment due to high presence of military men. Night life has slowed down. Thus, a visit to some of the popular eateries, bars, and other outlets in Port Harcourt and some other parts of the State shows that businesses have gone slow, and continued on the negative slide with sharp decline in sales, as most of the outlets remain empty throughout business hours.
They also worry that if the trend is not reversed, they may soon be forced out of business since they cannot afford to bear the losses occasioned by the day-to-day running of the heir outlets without recording significant sales.
Observers said if this situation is not checked, it may drive investors out of the State and discourage new ones from coming in. They say no investor will be attracted to an environment filled with rancour, or be ready to incur losses.
Some commercial drivers operating on the Port Harcourt– Aba Road, Ikwerre Road, and the Choba-Rumuokoro–Bori axis of the East-West Road also spoke on the low patronage and lack of business. Others say they now cut down on their movement within and outside the state.
This has led to huge reduction of the volume of trade due to the current apprehension in the State. The relocation of the annual conference of the Nigeria Bar Association (NBA) was pointed as an example.
Some fear looming loss of jobs soon, if nothing is done.
