Barakat Bello
Code: NG194
I called this respondent last weekend to hold the special event survey with him, he promised to call back, but he didn’t, which is very much unlike him. I have tried his number severally after that but to no avail
Then today, I decided to try his second line and finally got through to him after several trials, we had an almost 20mins discussion with the network interrupting severally, but I still couldn’t hold the survey with him. The story I heard was shocking for a place like Kaduna, it’s the first I have heard it.
He explained how he entered a “one chance” tricycle, unknown to him that the driver and the 2 passengers were all part of a robbery gang. He was robbed of N273,000 (635.6 USD), his 2 phones, and the tablet given to him by L-IFT. He narrated how the incident happened before 8 pm that day and how the N230,000 (535.5 USD) was to settle his rent.
He further explained why he had to leave home with the tablet that day, saying he was expecting me to send him the FINBIT application.
The story left me shocked, worried, and unable to commence the survey with him over the phone.
Nubi Olufunmilayo
Code: NG514
I was at this firm yesterday. It was not open to customers. I placed a call to him but he didn’t categorically state if he had opened for the year or not.
Kaduna Deborah Ekundina
Code: NG287
I couldn’t interview this firm owner before we went for the Christmas holiday because of his wife’s state of health.
So when my supervisor and I visited him today, he was able to give us his financial data report for 3 weeks. And he is happy because his wife is much better and no longer bleeds as a result of the stillbirth she once had.
Chinenye E
Code: NG730
The respondent hasn’t resumed for the year but came to his shop for reporting. She said it has been a good season for her and that she finally bought the Industrial machine she has been saving for.
Chinenye E
Code: NG358
The respondent said she has not resumed for the year and that she even fell ill at some point during Season. She also said that she hopes to start maybe by next week.
Chinenye E
Code: NG706
The school hasn’t resumed for the year as their resumption date is 10th January. I called the proprietress and she said her mum is still at the hospital and that’s where she is. We had to reschedule for next week.
Chinenye E
Code: NG130
The respondent’s shop is locked and her number is switched off so I couldn’t do Reporting or find out what is going on but I will call her again later.
Folaranmi Olarinde
Code: NG293
This firm is into animal feeds production. The firm owner has an employee she trusted so much that she might not visit the firm for a week or she will just show up once or twice. I called, as usual, to inform her I will be coming. She told me she is not around and that she traveled to the Eastern part of the country for the holidays but her employee will be there to attend to me.
Folaranmi Olarinde
Code: NG284
This firm is into leather works, shoe making, sandals, and slippers. When we started transaction recording, the firm owner felt he cannot do it because he does not like to write or disturb his brain for any transactions but now he is perfect in his records and he is happy about it because it has also helped the business a lot.
Nubi Olufunmilayo
Code: NG394
I got 2 weeks of financial transactions. He was excited and hopeful for the new year. Records are up to date. He mentioned that he will be glad if after the project ends he’s enlisted for any developmental training. And that he would be glad to attend.
Nubi Olufunmilayo
Code: NG304
I got 2 weeks’ financial transactions from him. He was excited and hopeful for the new year. Record up to date.
Deborah Ekundina
Code: NG622
So I gave this respondent his phone before we went for the Christmas holiday and was excited and thankful for the phone he got from L-IFT.
When I met him today for his 2 weeks’ financial data report, he said to me with a smiling face that he has entered the report already, and I was surprised.
He said he downloaded the FINBIT APP from Playstore and he used the phone number and password he provided during setup to log in.
After logging in, he said he saw all his financial data I’ve been entering on FINBIT, and he decided to continue entering the income and expense.
Lo and behold when I opened FINBIT on my phone to check, I saw some data I didn’t input myself on FINBIT and it has already synced.
So I quickly called my supervisor to tell her what happened. She asked me to edit the data from my end and fill in all the necessary components.
Right within me I wasn’t happy (I didn’t show my countenance…) the respondent didn’t inform me before downloading FINBIT and logging in, but then I had to tell the respondent to logout and I taught him how to register with a new email address instead of logging in with the phone number he gave us during setup.
The respondent later apologized for being too forward.
Deborah Ekundina
Code: NG568
This particular firm is into photocopying and different types of printing. The firm owner has been cooperative since the beginning of the SFD project. So when I went to his office to see him for his 2 weeks’ financial data report, I noticed he wasn’t happy. Before I asked him what happened, he said the Tablet that was given to him has been stolen. He said it happened on the 31st of December 2021, and that none of his workers were around that day so he suspects the Tab was stolen by one of his customers, but he hopes to track the tablet (according to him).
Even after giving me financial data, he was not still happy about the incident.
Chinenye E
Code: NG248
The respondent resumed today and didn’t stay the whole day. He closed by 1 pm. He had transactions for last week from the 22nd to the 24th of December but didn’t have any income or expenses for the present week as they were closed for the celebration. He was in a hurry to get to a wedding so we couldn’t do the special event and aspiration survey.
Nubi Olufunmilayo
Code: NG290
This firm just resumed after the festive season today so there were no financial transactions for the last two weeks in their firm. I was able to do an Aspiration survey.
Nubi Olufunmilayo
Code: NG616
The record is up to date and I was able to do an Aspiration survey for him. He also closed down for some days for the year and just resumed today. He told me there was a theft incident that happened to some farmers rearing birds in the same premises where he has his own firm too but not his firm.
Nubi Olufunmilayo
Code: NG922
The firm is yet to resume from the festive season. He was still in his hometown when I spoke with him.
Oluwakemi Adepetu
Code: NG266
This firm owner has been a loyal respondent even though I have other cooperative respondents. As I got to her firm today, it was under lock and key then I put a call through. For fashion designers, the festive period is usually their busy period as women will have different dresses sown for themselves and their children. Long story short, she said she has not resumed for the year and won’t open until next week. She also notified me that her POS business is still running skeletally. Then she sent me her FTs for two weeks via whatsapp.
Oluwakemi Adepetu
Code: NG172
Getting this respondent to start recording his FTs was not a walk in the park when he was selected. I encouraged him and told him about the importance of record keeping and the aim of the SFD project. His apprentices are young boys who have little or no knowledge of keeping records, hence the responsibility of record keeping is on him. When he started recording he muddled up all his expenses. I took my time to teach him how to categorize his expenses in the diary after each day or during his leisure. The same goes for when we were asked to segregate types of customers on FINBIT. I explained how he would categorize customer types and I was happy when I got to his firm today to see his past two weeks’ FT carrying each customer’s type in his diary. Above is the picture of his workshop.
Ugwu
Code: NG328
On our visit to the firm with my supervisor, the firm was not open for business and the calls I placed to the firm owner were not reachable. On inquiry from her neighbors, we were told that she is yet to come back from the Christmas holiday.
Ugwu
Code: NG263
When I and my supervisor visited the second firm, we met employees but the firm owner is yet to return from the village and she doesn’t leave her financial book on her business premises. The firm owner’s phone number was also not reachable when I tried calling her.
Omolola
NG442
I visited this firm after the holiday for our usual survey and FT record. The firm owner said he has been very busy and has not had time to compile his financial records. He said he was so busy that he had to work at his firm on Christmas and New year’s day as customers kept calling him. He also mentioned that he had to work alone without his employees because he couldn’t deny them their holiday.
Precious Ita
Code: NG238
I was at this respondent’s firm and a customer came to print out something. The respondent was not available at the firm, so payment was made through a bank transfer into the staff’s personal bank account.
Coincidentally, the firm owner came back from where she went and asked her employee about the money made so far that day. The employee gave her the money so she started asking him questions as the money received was below her expectation. Good thing the customer was still there. She asked the customer how much he paid and the customer told her. She turned to her employee and just told him to give her the complete money. Which he did with a little hesitation. After that, the respondent just turned to me and in a whisper said, “I am tired, it is hard to trust these people.”
Magdaline Musa
Code: NG766
Hello everyone. Happy new year. So this particular firm I visited complained how he was unable to make any sales during the Christmas period which used to be the period he makes sales. He had made so many products hoping to sell them but was unable to. I had to encourage him that things will change soon.
Ugwu
Code: NG472
The respondent traveled home for Christmas on 23rd December and returned on 5th January 2022. When I visited the firm yesterday, she informed me that there were no financial transactions for the past two weeks because she had enough raw materials before traveling while her employees managed the pig farm in her absence.
Michael Enyam
Code: NG119
On Wednesday, as it was our usual meeting day with this firm, I found out the shop was locked and that was unusual. I stood there and did an observation survey and left. Before that day we had already exchanged yuletide greetings and I reminded him I was going to meet him on our usual day.
Yesterday I decided to call him to know why he wasn’t open and he told me on new year’s day, he became seriously ill and was rushed to the hospital even as I type this.
He sounded very cheerful on phone and I trust he will recover soon and return to his business.
Michael Enyam
Code: NG556
For employees to be more productive and motivated, it depends on 2 factors: Intrinsic and extrinsic factors.
I usually visit this firm on Mondays but we rather met on Tuesday because that was the day they officially resumed for the year.
The secretary is in charge of records and collects money so while I was going through their record and asking questions for clarification, she requested if I know any online businesses so that I can suggest them to her because she wants to quit this job. I was curious so I asked why. She said the job doesn’t give her time to do other things and her salary is not enough to meet her needs.
She also complained that her boss doesn’t appreciate them enough no matter how much effort they put into the work.
She also revealed to me that one of their employees had resigned but unofficially. The employee doesn’t want to make it known to the firm owner. At the moment, 2 of them are planning to quit their job and she’s planning on leaving as soon as she gets her January salary and the other person will take their turn on February. All these are without their employer’s knowledge.
No matter how much effort they put in, their employer still complains and doesn’t appreciate them enough.
Late last year while interacting with the firm owner, he complained of having a limited number of employees and was in search of competent staff.
Magdaline Musa
Code: NG754
This firm has had the lowest sum of income since the diaries began. The owner is an aged man who always comes to the firm even without any income coming in. He was excited about the phone given to him and he called 3 times during the holiday to thank me and L-IFT for the phone. But he called me early this morning and asked I come over because his wife gave him something to give me. I was surprised. So I went and he brought a small back politin bag and gave it to me. I was happy and appreciated the gift. I didn’t open it until I got home and found out it was Christmas chichin. I think this is the best gift for me this year. I was touched knowing how life has been difficult for him and his wife but they thought of sharing the little they had with me. I felt honored.
Ibe Amaka Chinwe
General Story
Today in Enugu, there’s pandemonium everywhere as unknown gunmen who are believed to be enforcing the IPOB sit-at-home order shot sporadically into the air in all the major areas of the city.
A lot of properties were destroyed and two people were feared to be shot dead.
An undisclosed number of vehicles and tricycles were set on fire.
They invaded the major markets in Enugu, destroying their wares while the traders scampered for safety.
At this time of reporting, one of the FRs stated that the sound of gunshots is being heard in their residential areas.
In lieu of this, the Enugu team will stall the plans of reverting to Mondays for data collection till further notice.
We thought the sit-at-home order has been overtaken by the yuletide event and proposed to start work on Mondays this year but we obviously projected wrong
Chinenye E.
Code: NG730
The respondent said she is slowly adjusting. And that for now, she closes early to go for evening prayers in the church by 6. Her employees are yet to resume.
Chinenye E.
Code: NG706
The respondent said she has gotten someone to act as the Headteacher for some time since the headteacher is busy preparing her husband for his third surgery and she (the respondent) will soon become busier once the surgery is conducted for her mum. She wants to convert one of her teachers to the headteacher for the time being and increase her salary.
Olufunmilayo Nubi
Code: NG922
This firm has had only expenses since it was selected due to the bird flu ravage that occurred to it.
I’m glad to share here that finally, the firm owner has made some income this new year and he is excited about it. His birds are now laying.
Chineye E.
Code: NG248
The respondent said she had to fire one of her workers because she had a nonchalant attitude and wasn’t talking to customers well. She also said she plans to start a farm this year.
Magdalene Musa
Code: NG484
I was with a respondent this morning and she was eager to show me the new pond she made on her farm. She will be adding fish to her business. I was excited for her.
Magdalene Musa
Code: NG164
I was unable to meet the firm owner on Wednesday because she was ill but had no idea that there was another issue on the ground. We rescheduled the meeting and on getting there she told me that thieves had entered the factory taking away her electric motor that is used in the machine for milling feeds and all the wires in the shop costing N100,000 (232.8) plus were stolen. I felt bad for her because now she will have to take her production to another firm and needs to raise money to buy all that was stolen.
15 January 2022
Kingsley Ugwu
Code: NG278
The firm will be one-year-old by May this year and the firm owner believed that the firm has grown beyond what she projected when she started the business.
Though she has other competitors in the area, she is determined to be the best. She recently bought an industrial sewing machine which she believes will increase productivity and reduce the turnaround time. She believes that meeting her customers’ needs within the shortest possible time will attract more customers and increase her overall revenue.
She plans to acquire a weaving machine which none of her competitors in the area has at the moment. This, according to her will give her an edge over her competitors.
Precious Ita
Code: NG 218
The firm makes laser designs on fabrics using a laser machine. The respondent’s co-owner said those designs are confidential and they are custom ordered and the styles are usually being protected to avoid them being copied by someone else or other designers till they get to the market or are being used on the customer who placed the order.
My respondent in this firm said their three employees have still not resumed till now and they are not sure if the employees will still return as one already told him in December that he was going back to school in January 2022, but the other two are yet to resume. He went into detail when I reminded him that I needed to conduct a survey with one of them.
Chinenye E.
Code: NG478
They run a school and are yet to be approved because they don’t have a standard building. She Said they have N500,000 (1158 USD) remaining for the place they bought and after paying for the land they plan on gathering a committee of friends to contribute towards building a structure on the land. She also said she is running a degree program in education and has 2 years to complete the program.
Chinenye E.
Code: NG712
This is the lab that has issues with EEDC and they cut their light. They are yet to fix their light issues. I had to go back twice to meet the owner and conduct surveys. She said if she wasn’t running her lab she would go into the production of reagents or keep her salaried job in a government parastatal or lecture in universities because they are all related to her course of study and area of expertise.
Chinenye E.
Code: NG149
This firm owner said business has been dull but that is expected in January as that is usually the case. She is a tailor.