By PAMELA EBOH, Awka

The Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria, (MACBAN) has attributed the low sales of their cows in the South-East to the Coronavirus pandemic

It lamented that the lockdown which was put in place to contain the spread of the pandemic has crippled glamorous ceremonies like burial and marriage ceremonies that the South-East spend huge amount of money to buy cows for.

Addressing journalists in Awka on Wednesday, the South-East MACBAN Chairman, Alhaji Gidado Siddiki, said: “The Coronavirus Disease outbreak is seriously affecting our business, we no longer sell cows like we used to because people no longer celebrate marriages and burials like before. These are some of the events that give us sales.

“Again, cows have become expensive due to high cost of transportation; our volume of sales has gone down very much.”

The MACBAN Chairman regretted that many of his members were not adhering to rules to avoid contracting the disease even after they had been tutored on its dangers.

Sidikki added: “I and members of my leadership take the awareness message to them where they are in the bush and also tell them that we have to join hands with other people to eradicate this virus which is threatening our business.”

While calling on its members to obey the guidelines provided by health authorities and government, he urged Muslims to relate harmoniously with everyone irrespective of the creed in the spirit of lesson learnt in the cause of Ramadan.

He added: “I want to use this opportunity to thank the people of South-East, especially their governors, for the cordial relationship that exist between my members and their host communities.”

Sidikki further thanked South-East governors and the people of the zone for giving them the enabling environment to do their business.