Chairman, Dei-Dei International Livestock Market, Alhaji Yahaya Pate, has appealed to the FCT administration to provide soft loans for small-scale businesses to boost the nation’s economy.

Pate made the appeal on Thursday in Abuja in an interview with The Tide source.

He observed that many people who had acquired business skills by working with others in numerous businesses had no capital to set up their own businesses.

He also called on the FCT administration to assist traders in the market by providing the necessary infrastructure.

“We have visited some markets in Niger Republic, Chad and Cameroun and we have seen a big difference from our own set up. That is the reason why we always say we are being neglected.”

“There, traders are provided with all the basic requirements needed for an ideal livestock market while we have nothing to show as the structures here are decayed,” he said.

According to Pate, animals such as camels, cows, sheep, goats and poultry from different countries in Africa are sold in the market.

He said that about 300 cows, 600 goats and rams were slaughtered in the market daily.

He stressed that animal dealers paid their taxes direct to the government while traders paid at the entrance to the market.

Alhaji Haruna Ali, a cow dealer, also urged the Federal Government to provide them with the necessary support to boost their business.

“Other African countries have gone to the level of providing international passport for their people in the livestock business, which guarantees them to go anywhere to transact business,’’ he said.

Alhaji Sada Kusada, who also doubles as the market leader, expressed regret that the government had yet to fulfill all the promises it made during the inauguration of the market by former President Olusegun Obasanjo in 2003.

“All the promises made to us during the inauguration have not been fulfilled.”

“As I am talking to you now, our men who bring livestock from other African countries do not have a place to sleep, they have to manage this small hut you see here.

“Some of them come all the way from Bakin Burji, Maradi, Sabon Mashi, Chaduwa, Aci Lafia all in Niger Republic; some come from Gamborun Gala in Chad and others come from Cameroun Republic.

He stressed that the market lacked infrastructure such as perimeter fencing water supply, access roads and electricity.

According to him, more than six articulated vehicles conveying livestock are offloaded daily in market.

“We have eight lorries conveying 20 cows each and 10 vehicles conveying 300 goats and rams every day to this market,” he said.

On the cost of livestock, Kusada said the price of cows ranged from N30,000 to N250,000 depending on their size, while the price of goats ranged from N4,500 to N13,000.