Kano commercial sex workers have groaned over the scarcity of customers as a result of the economy downturn.
IdanNews gathered that Sabon Gari sex workers expressed their pains on Sunday while fielding questions from a News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) correspondent in the Fagge Local Government Area of the state.
Ms. Mercy Benjamin, one of the sex workers, said “The effects of fuel subsidy removal had forced customers to disappear.”
She said before now, a round of “short time” service could be settled with N5,000 within a time frame of one hour but now one round of sex goes for as low as N500 or N700 for the same services.
Another sex worker who identified herself as Jennifer, said it is no more business as usual for them, “Things have become so hard that if you see more than three customers in one day, you will thank God.
“Customers are hard to come by, and when they come, the offer is nothing to write home about.
“In this very particular room, I pay N5,000 every day; and I must confess to you that I am owing the management three days debt now because of low patronage.
“Before fuel subsidy removal, we were enjoying high patronage with good prices. These days, I used to attend to seven to 10 customers every day with good prices ranging between N5,000 and N10,000 for short-term services.
“This is apart from other incentives like good food, drinks, chicken, Isi-ewu and other goodies that customers provide of their own volition.
“Unlike now when customers hardly come to hang out in the evening, we used to have customers on daybreak ready to offer well above N20,000 and also take care of your accommodation, food and drinks. This is hard times for us,” she said.
Jennifer further stated that most of her colleagues who could not pay for their rooms have returned home with regrets of penury.
“Some of them left without their property as the hotel management seized their clothes and electronics because of the money they owed. We that are still here are surviving through the grace of God,” she explained.
Meanwhile, Mrs Helen Ediga at Onitsha Road, said was she ready to quit the business if given an alternative source of livelihood.
Ediga, who only agreed to talk after being offered a token of N1,500 and a bottle of Maltina to cover her time, said:
“Sir, I am not happy being into this kind of business. It is the hardship that led me into it. I am a single mother with three children. I am the only one that takes care of them.
“My man left us in Kano and relocated to Abuja where he is currently staying with another woman.
“I come out every evening to hassle so that I can put food on the table for my three children and possibly train them.
“Since the fuel subsidy removal, we have been suffering. In most cases, I will spend the whole day without anyone asking me ‘How are you’.
“It has been a very bitter experience. If I have other means of livelihood, I will quit this business!”, Ediga said.
It was also gathered that the sex hawkers who usually stand along Enugu Road, Aba Road, Onitsha Road and Abbedie Street, among other hotspots within Sabon Gari, are worse hit by the situation as most of them complain of staying throughout the day, scouting for customers without success.
Findings further revealed that nightclubs, fun centres and beer-drinking joints now record very low patronage as residents hardly come out in the evening for relaxation or to have a “good time” due to the cash crunch.
(NAN)
