It pointed at the increasing prices of cattle, high cost of transportation and other running costs, noting that the increment in the price of meat is the only means by which they can remain in business.
The association in the state, under the chairmanship of Alhaji Wahab Olayiwola Surulagba, made this known during a special prayer session at the Agodi Gate Eid Prayer Ground, Ibadan, on Sunday.
The prayer session, led by the Chief Imam of Ibadaland, Sheikh Abdul-Ganiy Agbotomokekere, was held to seek the intervention of God, government and other stakeholders in the pervading food and economic crises.
Alhaji Olayiwola Surulagba further said there was a need to sensitise the public about the increment in the price of meat, stating that the price of the smallest size of beef would increase from ₦100 to ₦200, effective from today.
He said the increment, though painful, was necessary because the butchers were selling at a loss and called for financial assistance in form of loans from the government at all levels.
Surulagba said the butchers were not immune from inflation and the rise in prices of essential commodities as these had also led to increase in the price of cattle across the country.
He urged residents of the state to bear with the development, saying the butchers were left with no other option than to resort to the increment in order to remain in business.
Also speaking, coordinator of the butchers in the South-West and Kwara State, Alhaji Biliaminu Elesinmeta, said the association believed in prayers hence its resort to praying for God’s intervention in the present state of the nation, which he described as tough.
He said: “We want to urge the government to assist us and see how the price of goods and services can come down. It is not our fault that we are increasing the price of meat. We sell what we buy.
“We need the assistance of the government. We don’t rear cows in Nigeria. These cows are brought from neighbouring countries like Chad, Niger and Mali and we buy using CFA. Also, transporting these cows is very costly.”
The vice chairman of the butchers’ association, Alhaji Ramoni Eyingoolu, said what is happening to his members was not heard before, noting that the price of cattle is rising astronomically.
“We have never seen this type of thing before. One big cow now cost around ₦1million and ₦1.5million. It cost ₦3,000 per day to buy wheat oval to feed one cow, and this is along with other feeds, including dry grasses.
“We are praying for God’s intervention as our debts are increasing everyday. We import cows from neighbouring countries, using CFA. We are appealing to our government to shore up the value of the Naira against other currencies,” he said.
Secretary of the association, Comrade Olagoke Lateef, while applauding the Oyo State government on the various initiatives to address food crisis, said no help has come the way of butchers in the state.
“The government is trying, but what they are doing is not enough. We are appealing to our amiable and hardworking Governor ‘Seyi Makinde to have mercy on us.
“We have been to the state Ministry of Agriculture the category under which we fall. We have met with the commissioner.
“After the removal of subsidy, we went to see the commissioner. He promised to intervene and get us some palliatives, including wheelbarrows and boots. But we are yet to get anything.
“We heard that the state government has commenced the suspension of revenue collection of agricultural products for six months. We want to thank Governor Makinde for the step taken.
“We would appreciate it if this gesture is extended to us by stopping the payment of ₦700 on each cow for six months too,” he said.
Also speaking, chairman of Goat Meat Sellers’ Association of Oyo State, Alhaji Raheem Awolesu, disclosed that the price of the smallest size of goat meat has increased from ₦200 to ₦300.
He attributed the increment to the increasing cost of buying life goats by butcher and sell to their customers, adding that the goats are being imported to the North from Niger and Chad.
“The average sized goats which we formerly buy at about ₦35,000 are now being sold at between ₦55,000 and ₦75,000. We also pay ₦5 on each goat to transport them from the North to Ibadan.
“We cannot go into large-scale local rearing of goats due to insecurity and pervading stealing. The little efforts we made to rear goats are being stolen by thieves.
“We learnt that the state government is making available the sum of ₦1billion, through SAfER, for small-scale businesses. We are yet to enjoy such a facility.
“Government should come to the aid of butchers in Oyo State by making available to us loans which we would surely pay back within the stipulated period,” Awolesu said.
Also speaking, representative of goat meat and offals’ sellers, Mrs Nofisat Oladunjoye, lamented that many of them would soon run out of business due to the increasing cost of cows and goat meat.
“Our business is no longer profitable. Some three years ago, we can buy complete offals at ₦25,00. Now, ₦100,000 is not enough to buy the same quantity.
“We no longer make profits on our business. The cost of transport is killing us. We are suffering as we are barely managing to stay afloat,” Mrs Oladunjoye said.
Other who spoke included Alhaji Abdul-Rasheed Olasunkanmi (Chairman, Ogbomoso); Oladapo Bamidele (Chairman, Ibarapa North); Alhaji Kamorudeen Ajani (Chairman, Atiba Local Goverment Area, Oyo); and Olajide Nurudeen (Secretary, Iseyin Local Goverment Area), among others.
They all lamented that they were running their businesses at a loss and urged government at all levels to intervene so that their businesses could be worthwhile.
