Traders Anticipate Brisk Business

With barely a day to Christmas and a few days to the New Year, traders at the various market centers in the country, especially the Central Business District (CBD) of Accra are anticipating brisk business.

Characterized by human and vehicular traffic jams, the traders are hoping this huge human presence that the yuletide has brought would enable them to make colossal sales.

Though prices of goods surge at this period of the year, the traders are not deterred by this and are anticipating that people will purchase their items.

Inflation for November which shot up to 11.2 percent is believed to have influenced the upward prices of items.

When CITY & BUSINESS GUIDE decided to enquire about the prices of items sold in three different markets- CBD, Kwame Nkrumah Circle Mall and the Kantamanto Market- it gathered that prices of items were almost similar.

While a big bag of Texas Rice was selling around ¢300,000, the medium size was selling around ¢200,000. Likewise, children's clothes were selling between ¢100,000 and ¢250,000.

CITY & BUSINESS GUIDE also found out that while some buyers were purchasing rice and meat among other food items, others were buying clothes and shoes, especially children's items for their kids.

At the CBD, Ama Agyemang of Tantra Hill who was spotted buying female clothes and shoes for herself told CITY & BUSINESS GUIDE that though the prices of the items had shot up over recent prices, she had to acquire the items in order to make the celebration a favourable one for herself.

Similarly, Micheal Akwetey of Mamprobi said whether the prices were expensive or not, he was going to buy enough for himself since he had saved adequately for the occasion.

However other people CITY & BUSINESS GUIDE spoke to expressed concern about the high prices of items with some blaming the traders for the development.

CITY & BUSINESS GUIDE therefore decided to establish the submissions being made by the buyers while speaking to some of the traders especially those at the CBD and the Accra Mall.

Though they acknowledged the high cost of the items, most of them said there was nothing they could do since the prices quoted at the wholesale level was quite expensive.

Joyce Kumah who sells rice and other assorted items explained to CITY & BUSINESS GUIDE that the prices quoted were among the best.

Marian Owusu and Madam Esther Obeng, both ATL and GTP cloth sellers noted that their prices had even been reduced because they wanted people to buy more.

“Moreover, Christmas period is one of the best selling time and therefore we have to make huge sales,” Marian said.

Their assertion was also corroborated by Michael Annan, who deals in ladies and men's shoes among other items.
By Charles Nixon Yeboah