By Victor Akinkuolie,, Ado-Ekiti

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Traders in Ado-Ekiti, the capital of Ekiti State have decried  low patronage and high cost of foodstuffs, during the Easter celebration.

Some of the residents and traders  during an on-the-spot assessment by our correspondent who visited some markets within Ado-Ekiti, the State capital on Sunday. expressed their displeasure

Some traders at the popular Bisi market in Ado-Ekiti, lamented that there was no sign of festivity as prices of goods, especially foodstuffs were  high, while patronage was very low.

A food seller at the market, Mr. Chukwudumebi Amobi, said that customers could only buy few things.

Amobi who identified the recent cash crunch in the country as the main reason for the low patronage during Easter celebration, said the situation has affected his customers.

A visit to oja oba  in Ado-Ekiti,  a trader in the market said prices of foodstuffs and other commodities have skyrocketed by 30 percent compared with the prices during the Christmas and new year celebrations.

Mrs Saidat Aribisala, a rice dealer in the market, said that the price of rice had gone up by 30 percent.

According to her, prices of various types of rice increased dramatically when compared with the 2022 Easter celebration.

In her own, Mrs Aduma Olaifa, a Civil Servant at the Ekiti State Ministry of Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, lamented that the high cost of foodstuff is really discouraging.

Olaifa said that the difference in prices of goods in a matter of days is alarming, and  explained that the price of a particular item in the morning may not be the same in the evening or afternoon.

Similarly, a palm oil seller at the Awedele Market in Ado-Ekiti, Mrs Regina Godwin, said that both vegetable and red oil were in high prices compared with the 2022 Easter celebration.

A trader at Irona market, Mrs Agnes Olajorin, complained of low patronage, adding that the goods were available but costly, thereby making customers to buy very few items.