Business owners lament poor sales as NASS goes on recess

Business owners and food vendors at the National Assembly, Abuja, on Tuesday lamented over the low volume of business transactions since members of the  National Assembly began an eight-week long vacation.

Some of the business operators, who spoke in separate interviews with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), said the recess had forced many of them to close shop until the resumption  of the lawmakers on Sept. 16.
Comfort Nworie, a food vendor who operates a restaurant in the complex, said that she and her staff would use the period of the recess to take a deserved rest.
“Since business is slow now, we too will use this opportunity to rest.
“We will close our restaurant from Friday until legislators resume in September. ”
Nworie said that when the National Assembly was in session, her restaurant was usually very busy.
She said that the facility received many calls to supply food to members.
She added that her workers sometimes supplied food and snacks to committees when they were meeting or had other functions such as public hearings.
Mr Richard Christian, another food vendor, said that since the beginning of the recess, the number of customers who patronised his restaurant had reduced.
“Now that they are on recess, as you can s
ee, I am just sitting here alone.  Frankly speaking since they went on recess, business has drastically reduced even visitors that come to the National Assembly are no longer coming.
“When the assembly is in session, we make between N20,000 and N30,000 a day but now, if we get up to N5,000 we thank God,” he said.
Christian said that the recess had compelled him to reduce the quantity of food prepared daily.
Gloria Chigbu, a travel agent in the complex, said the recess had led to drastic reduction in the sale of tickets.
“Business is so dull because the people who buy tickets from us have all travelled.
“Their legislative aides who are still around are just waiting for their salaries to be paid so that they too would leave.”
Chigbu said that before the recess, several people requested for travel tickets while others asked her company to take care of their travelling arrangements.
She said that now that business was slow, her office only opened when necessary, adding that normal operations would resume after the recess.
NAN reports that the National Assembly complex, which is usually a busy arena for both visitors and workers who cause traffic gridlock at its main entrance, is now a very quiet environment with few cars trickling in at intervals.
The security personnel, who are also very business like while checking and screening visitors into the complex, are now more relaxed as traffic at the entrance has greatly subsided.
The banks within the complex are also affected by the low business as their workers record low patronage by customers while the sergeants-at-arms, who usually turn away people from the lobby, are no longer seen at their posts.
The National Assembly adjourned plenary on July 17 and is expected to resume on Sept. 16. (NAN)