Sachet water and food vendors made brisk businesses at the Ebonyi International Airport still under construction, where President Muhammadu Buhari landed for his two-day state visit to Ebonyi.
Thousands of cheerful members of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and Buhari loyalists had converged on the airport at Onueke in Ezza North Local Government Area of Ebonyi to welcome the president.
A cross section of sachet vendors told the News Agency of Nigeria on Thursday at the site that they had been making huge sales before the arrival of the president in the morning.
Mrs Bennett Nworie, a sachet water vendor, said she sold over 50 bags between 8 a.m. and noon
She said the visit had created opportunity for huge sales, adding that vendors at the airport had never had it so good.
“The presidential visit brought a good day to us because business is booming and I have sold about 50 bags of sachet water.
“On a normal day, I hardly sell up to 10 bags but this visit has provided me and other vendors to make large sales,” Nworie said.
Mrs Margaret Onwe, another seller, said the scorching sun led to more demands for drinking water.
“I came around 9 a.m. and from that time till this hour, I have not rested from attending to people who are in need of water.
“Sales are going on more than I expected but the number of people in the airport waiting to welcome the president was overwhelming.
“They were beaten by the scorching sun, making them become dehydrated and in need of plenty of water.
“I’ll soon run out of stock; today is a great day to us and I thank Gov. Dave Umahi for bringing the president to Ebonyi,” Onwe said.
Another respondent, Mr Paul Anyigor, who runs a mini restaurant, said that business was moving on well, adding that he had recorded huge sales since morning.
“Customers have been trooping in, in their large numbers to eat and have something to drink; we have exhausted the first set of food we cooked.
“We have made enough sales and I’m afraid that we may not be able to satisfy our customers because we will soon run out of stock,” he said.
A groundnut vendor, Miss Charity Elom, said she made huge sales from the visit.
Buhari had since arrived in the town where he was expected to inaugurate some projects sited by the state government.
