Port Harcourt residents have been sharing stories of frustration and financial loss due to poor workmanship and unprofessional conduct by local artisans.
From botched tailoring jobs to faulty carpentry and misleading car repairs, many say they've paid more than expected to fix problems caused by the artisans themselves.
One respondent recounted how her tailor failed to complete a set of asoebi outfits she had paid for, just hours before she was due to travel for a wedding. “I didn't know what to do... I just left and bought another outfit when I got to the city,” she said.
Another respondent said a carpenter who was paid to build a stool and a generator house reportedly delivered substandard work, and then ignored follow-up calls. “Weeks turned to months... I had to build the generator house myself,” the respondent said.
Car owners also described troubling experiences with local mechanics. In one case, a man was told by a mechanic that his engine had knocked and would cost ₦710,000 to fix. “Fortunately, a friend referred me to another mechanic who found it was just a water pump issue. I paid about ₦45,000,” he explained.
Another driver shared how a failed attempt to repair a reverse light led to the damage of his car’s brain box. “What should have cost ₦5,000 ended up costing me over ₦50,000,” he said.
While some residents called for a regulatory agency to monitor artisans and enforce standards, others were skeptical about its feasibility. One tailor said: “People will sit up if they know an agency can take away their practicing license.” But another added: “I don’t think the government can do anything, especially with this level of disappointment.”
Some also questioned the value of artisan certification. “Someone can have a certificate and still not be good at what they are doing... people do buy certificates,” one respondent said.
Others advised customers to be more proactive. A tailor’s client urged people not to wait until the last minute: “Visit them often to see progress. Maybe if we start doing that, they’ll stop disappointing us.”
Maxwell Nkaba, Director of Faano Skills Acquisition Training School in Port Harcourt, told the BBC that while certification bodies exist, there is no dedicated regulator overseeing artisans’ operations. He believes this gap allows malpractice to thrive. “The federal government can create a body under the ministry that will checkmate the activities of artisans,” Nkaba said, urging a more structured approach to accountability and professional standards.
He also encouraged customers to conduct proper checks before hiring. “Most of the issues come from people looking for cheap labour. Ask questions, request proof—make sure they can do what they say they can.”
