Commercial activities in Lagos, the commercial nerve centre of Nigeria was at its peak on Saturday, the first of the two strike-free days declared by organized labour.
Virtually all markets and Automated Teller Machine points were filled to the brim.
Our correspondents who visited Ikeja, Victoria Island, Ketu, Ogba, Abule Egba and many other spots reported that the scenario was the same.
People, especially women, were seen at the markets making purchases, ostensibly in anticipation of the continuation of the mass action embarked upon to protest the withdrawal of subsidy on petrol by the government.
Prices, across board, have, however, risen.
Many blame this on the cost of transportation and the need to prepare for the post-subsidy withdrawal effects in the case of the government muzzling its way through in the ongoing face-off.
A teacher, who was at the Abbatoir market, Mrs. Sola Omole, explained: “Traders are obviously preparing for the worst. Their thinking is that if the government succeeds with its plan, then they would need more money than they require now to re-stock their shops. Hence, even the goods they purchased at old rates, they have to mark up the prices so they can have enough money to buy new stocks which prices will go up once subsidy is finally withdrawn.”
At the First Bank of Nigeria Plc branch between the Abbatoir Market and Pen Cinema, a long queue was noticed.
The ATM was working but the queue was long.
The situation was the same on Oba Akran Road, Ikeja, which has a lot of banks.
Though tomorrow is another strike-free day, those who spoke with our correspondents said they chose to buy all they would need today because it could be tough doing so tomorrow.
The negotiation between organized labour and government is expected to resume at the Presidential Villa, Abuja this evening.
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