Kaduna SMEs Operators Close Shop Over High Cost Of Diesel, Petrol

Rising cost of diesel and petrol has forced many Kaduna business owners to close down operations, as they attributed their actions to unbearable cost of doing business in the country.

LEADERSHIP checks revealed that some of the businesses like hotels, table water, and printing companies among others that have endured the skyrocketing prices of materials and diesel had reduced the hours of running business using generators to control expenses.

In an interview with our correspondent in Kaduna, manager of Nitex Hotels and Suites, Emmanuel Eze, lamented: “NEPA bills, diesel have increased. Now, for us not to close down, we only put on our generator in the night for our guests. People are complaining about no money and things are going up. The prepaid meter billing has gone up, they have reduced the units drastically, now I use plenty money to buy small units of NEPA. Even fuel now in some filling stations is N250 per litre, before we use fuel to power small generator as diesel went high but now fuel too is up.”
It was gathered that some bread and table water factories have closed down as their owners run them at loss, just as those who stay in the business have increased prices.
A restaurant operator in Romi, Kaduna, Mary Ugo, who closed her kitchen narrated her ordeal: “I have been operating this restaurant for years but now I cannot continue due to high cost of food items in the market. I am only cooking for customers to eat without profit. Even if you increase price, customers will complain and some will stop coming because them too don’t have money. I have taken this decision to close down my restaurant and go to farm or look for another business to do.”