Fish Sellers Record High Patronage As Bauchi Residents Shun Meat Over Ebola Fears

Fish sellers are now experiencing high patronage in Bauchi State following the alert over the deadly Ebola virus across the country.

It was learnt that residents now shun any type of meat as they fear they could contract the virus through the consumption of bush meat.

According to reports from Bauchi, yesterday, fish sellers at Wunti, Muda Lawal and Central markets, as well as those along the Maiduguri Road, confirmed high patronage over the last few days. The high patronage was also being extended to business owners who have fish ponds in the state.
Mrs. Bolaji Olorunwaju, a fish seller, said the Ebola alert scared people away from consuming bush meat, adding that they now patronize fish.
“Since last week, I have made great profit from the sale of fish. I now make between five to ten thousand naira a day unlike the former situation when I made five thousand a day”.

Another seller opposite the Bauchi stadium, Sani Maigari, said his fish business had boomed in the last two weeks because of the fear by residents that the Ebola virus could be contracted through the consumption of meat.

Reacting to the development, the Director of the State Primary Health Care Development Agency, PHCDA, Umar Gamawa, said the state government had put in place measures to forestall the outbreak of the virus.