CALM RETURNS TO ACCRA AFTER YULETIDE (PAGE 18, JAN 1, 2011)
LIFE is back to normalcy in the central business district (CBD) of Accra, with less human and vehicular traffic after the Christmas festivities.
All the roads linking the CBD which were choked with human and vehicular traffic some few days to Christmas are now less busy.
Traders have also returned to brisk business with the hope that sales will increase as New Year’s day approaches.
The Daily Graphic also observed that most shoppers only asked for the prices of goods, without making any purchases.
One shopper, Mary Buabeng, when asked why she could not buy the “ready-made” shoes from the shop where she stood, answered, “The new shoes are more expensive than the used shoes. As it is, the economy has not been friendly to the ordinary people, thereby making it difficult for me to buy new items. So I prefer buying from the second-hand dealers because their items are cheaper.”
In an interaction with the shop owner, Agnes Bemah, the Daily Graphic learnt that buyers complained about the prices and that affected sales before and during the Yuletide.
“Compared to previous years, sales went down. People only walk into the shop and after asking for the price they turn away,” she said.
The story was not different when the Daily Graphic interacted with foodstuffs sellers at the lorry station behind the Cocoa Marketing Board (CMB) Head Office, as the sellers also complained about poor patronage.
Mariama Adamu, a food spices seller, complained of low patronage of her goods this year.
“Usually, on December 24 sales are very high. You could sell more than GH¢100 a day. But this year the situation was not friendly. I sold less than GH¢20 on December 24, this year,” she said, adding, “As to why that was so this year, only Allah knows.”
The story was not different with Nana Adjoa, a tomato seller at the CMB Market, who also complained of low patronage of her items this Yuletide.
“Sales have been very bad. I sold two cartons of tomatoes a day during past Yuletides, but this year sales reduced drastically,” she explained.
A belt seller who only gave his name as Mensah said he sold his goods on the pavements but recorded low sales this year, compared to previous years.
Two head porters, known as “ Kayeyei”, who gave their names as Aminatu and Sadia, had a different to tell. They said head portage was good for them.
“On December 24, we made brisk business,” they said, but wouldn’t disclose how much they earned on that particular day.
Interestingly, a trader who sold clothes in a boutique complained about low patronage by shoppers.
“Although my items are not expensive, shoppers did not patronise them. I have even reduced my prices, such that a pair of jeans that cost GH¢150 is now being sold at GH¢50 so that people can walk in and purchase something. But, unfortunately, that is not the case,” she lamented.
Some of the traders also complained about power outages.
A trader who gave her name as Auntie Matty said, “When I come to the shop in the morning, I make no sales. The most annoying part is that we experience power interruptions the whole day and at the end of the month I am supposed to pay electricity bills.”
The story was totally different with second-hand clothes dealers as, according to them, business was good for them.
According to some used clothes dealers at the Kantamanto Market, sales had been good before, during and after Christmas.
The Daily Graphic observed that many shoppers were busily buying used clothes, belts, bags, shoes, among others, at reduced prices ranging from GH¢1 to GH¢5.
One trader who gave his name as Kweku Amoako was busily shouting on top of his voice in an attempt to attract shoppers and was interrupted by the Daily Graphic concerning his sales during and after the Yuletide.
“Business has been very good this year. You know, since there is no money in the system, people want to buy correct shoes at very reduced prices. As you can see, a pair of shoes costs GH¢2 and at the end of the day I make as much as GH¢200,” he said.
The Daily Graphic, through interactions, noticed that most traders sat in their shops with the hope that business would pick up in the New Year.
All the roads linking the CBD which were choked with human and vehicular traffic some few days to Christmas are now less busy.
Traders have also returned to brisk business with the hope that sales will increase as New Year’s day approaches.
The Daily Graphic also observed that most shoppers only asked for the prices of goods, without making any purchases.
One shopper, Mary Buabeng, when asked why she could not buy the “ready-made” shoes from the shop where she stood, answered, “The new shoes are more expensive than the used shoes. As it is, the economy has not been friendly to the ordinary people, thereby making it difficult for me to buy new items. So I prefer buying from the second-hand dealers because their items are cheaper.”
In an interaction with the shop owner, Agnes Bemah, the Daily Graphic learnt that buyers complained about the prices and that affected sales before and during the Yuletide.
“Compared to previous years, sales went down. People only walk into the shop and after asking for the price they turn away,” she said.
The story was not different when the Daily Graphic interacted with foodstuffs sellers at the lorry station behind the Cocoa Marketing Board (CMB) Head Office, as the sellers also complained about poor patronage.
Mariama Adamu, a food spices seller, complained of low patronage of her goods this year.
“Usually, on December 24 sales are very high. You could sell more than GH¢100 a day. But this year the situation was not friendly. I sold less than GH¢20 on December 24, this year,” she said, adding, “As to why that was so this year, only Allah knows.”
The story was not different with Nana Adjoa, a tomato seller at the CMB Market, who also complained of low patronage of her items this Yuletide.
“Sales have been very bad. I sold two cartons of tomatoes a day during past Yuletides, but this year sales reduced drastically,” she explained.
A belt seller who only gave his name as Mensah said he sold his goods on the pavements but recorded low sales this year, compared to previous years.
Two head porters, known as “ Kayeyei”, who gave their names as Aminatu and Sadia, had a different to tell. They said head portage was good for them.
“On December 24, we made brisk business,” they said, but wouldn’t disclose how much they earned on that particular day.
Interestingly, a trader who sold clothes in a boutique complained about low patronage by shoppers.
“Although my items are not expensive, shoppers did not patronise them. I have even reduced my prices, such that a pair of jeans that cost GH¢150 is now being sold at GH¢50 so that people can walk in and purchase something. But, unfortunately, that is not the case,” she lamented.
Some of the traders also complained about power outages.
A trader who gave her name as Auntie Matty said, “When I come to the shop in the morning, I make no sales. The most annoying part is that we experience power interruptions the whole day and at the end of the month I am supposed to pay electricity bills.”
The story was totally different with second-hand clothes dealers as, according to them, business was good for them.
According to some used clothes dealers at the Kantamanto Market, sales had been good before, during and after Christmas.
The Daily Graphic observed that many shoppers were busily buying used clothes, belts, bags, shoes, among others, at reduced prices ranging from GH¢1 to GH¢5.
One trader who gave his name as Kweku Amoako was busily shouting on top of his voice in an attempt to attract shoppers and was interrupted by the Daily Graphic concerning his sales during and after the Yuletide.
“Business has been very good this year. You know, since there is no money in the system, people want to buy correct shoes at very reduced prices. As you can see, a pair of shoes costs GH¢2 and at the end of the day I make as much as GH¢200,” he said.
The Daily Graphic, through interactions, noticed that most traders sat in their shops with the hope that business would pick up in the New Year.
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