The Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria, MACBAN, has said the global pandemic known as Coronavirus has become it’s nemesis in the Southeast markets.
The group lamented yesterday that Igbo no longer patronise them the way they used to as a result of COVID-19
MACBAN’s Southeast Chairman, Alhaji Gidado Siddiki, spoke with reporters in Awka, Anambra State
He said the issue is no longer the herders and communities again, but the outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic, which had caused lockdown in the country.
Siddiki, said the outbreak of the pandemic had stopped ceremonies such as burial, marriage ceremonies among others in Igbo land, where they make huge sales, in compliance with the COVID-19 protocols.
According to him, “the Coronavirus disease outbreak is seriously affecting our business, we no longer sell cows like we used to because people no longer celebrate marriages and burials like before. These are some of the events that give us sales.
“Again, cows have become expensive due to high cost of transportation, our volume of sales has gone down very much”.
He regretted that most of his members were not adhering to the rules of social distancing, hand washing among others despite repeated sensitization
“I and members of my leadership take the awareness message to them where they are in the bush and also them that we have to join hands with other people to eradicate this virus which is threatening our business.”
He urged Muslims to relate harmoniously with everyone irrespective of the creed in the spirit of the lesson learnt during the Ramadan.
However, he commended the governors of the South-East and the people of the area for giving them the enabling environment to do their business.