STATIONERY SELLERS LAMENT POOR SALES OF GOODS AS SCHOOLS RESUME

Book sellers lament poor sales
As schools resume for new academic session, traders in
Lagos are lamenting low patronage of schooling items by
parents, according to reports.
Dealers in books, shoes, bags, uniforms and other items are
complaining that buyers are not coming as expected.
They revealed in separate interviews that the patronage was
not impressive compare to previous times when schools
resume for new session.
Mrs Chinonso Shina, who runs Shina Bookshop at
Moshalasi,Alagbado, said that the patronage was not as
impressive as before.
Shina attributed this lull to the country’s economic
recession, but added that many of the textbooks on
demands were not available.
“The publishers are complaining about high cost of material
and papers, prompting them to reduce the quantity
published.
“Some are not even publishing at all and as such, some of
the books requested for are not available,’’ Shina said.
Miss Benedicta Osuagwu, a schoolbags dealer, also
complained about poor sales.
According to her, even when children still have good school
bags, parents are in the habit of buying new ones for the
new session.
“That is not the same now, it is as if they are now cutting
cost.
“I approached my customers to ask if I should bring some
bags for their children, many of them said the old ones were
still in good condition,’’ Osuagwu said.
A parent, Mr Adbulrahman Onikoyi, said his plight was
about the increase in tuition fees by schools.
Onikoyi explained that the schools were giving excuses
about the current inflation in the country as the reason for
the increase.
“I thought of changing my children’s school to cheaper
ones, but by my investigation, they too have increased their
fees.
“If I have to register them in a new school, I will even spend
more on registration, uniforms and other things.
“I think the government should come to our rescue and
regulate fees being charged by these private schools,’’ he
said.
A mother, Mrs Florence Ajayi, told reporters that she only
managed to buy some core textbooks for her children and
forego other school items because “the prices were
outrageous’’.
Ajayi said items like school bags, sandals, socks, lunch
bag and boxes were among those things she could not
afford now.
“I decided to assemble the old items the children used last
term and clean them up for use in the new session because
there is no money to buy new ones,’’ Ajayi said.
Another parent, Mr Bola Makinde, described school
resumption as a period to incur compulsory expenses.
Makinde said that buying books were compulsory but one
need to prioritise buying for core subjects, leaving those
that were not so compulsory.
“I bought a dozen of 60 leaves for N850 as against N500
and six higher Education notebook for N800 as against
N500.
“These are essential learning materials the children need,’’
Makinde said.
He, however, said that other expenses on shoes and bags
could be avoided if the old ones were still in good condition.
A trader in Odumota market at dopemu, Lagos, Mrs Titilope
Gold, said traders were not responsible for the hike in price
of school items, adding: “we sell according to how we buy”.
`According to her, things are very expensive from the
manufacturers as they all complain about high exchange
rate.
“Even we, the sellers, are not happy with the hike in prices
of virtually all items in the market, just as the buyers are
complaining,’’ Gold said.