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09.02.2019 Social News

Ministries Turned Into Coconut Market

Ministries Turned Into Coconut Market
09.02.2019 LISTEN

An army of coconut sellers have invaded and pitched camp within the Government Business enclave 'The Ministries,' engaging in profitable sales, Ghana News Agency survey has established.

Some of them have adopted attractive and convenient means to manoeuvre from one Ministry to the other, depositing the coconut in a wheelbarrow or on a push truck which they shove around, while others are stationed at strategic locations.

Mr Daniel Peprah, who has pitched camp behind the Registrar General's Department told the GNA that, public sector workers heavily patronised coconut, a situation that attracted him to set up within the Ministries over the past five years.

Mr Peprah who hails from Mampongteng in the Ashanti Region noted that even though the price of coconut was on the increase for sometime now, people still patronized due to the health benefits associated.

'Now a big coconut is priced between GH¢2.00 and GH¢2.50; while the smaller ones go for either GH¢1.00 or GH¢1.50,' he said, blaming the situation on the high cost of transporting the fruit from the hinterlands to Accra.

Mr Ekow Nketia, another Coconut Seller located behind GNA Head Office said on the average he sold from 65 to 80 pieces of coconut everyday, stressing that most customers preferred the 'Agric coconut' because it was much sweeter and contained much water.

He explained that because of the centration of workers within the Ministries, sales were good, 'office workers really enjoy coconut, I have customers who take coconut daily'.

Mr James Obeng (aka Attah) who sells coconut at the entrance to the Ghana Education Service also appealed to customers to be patient especially 'if they request for soft and you mistakenly give them hard or vice versa some get so angry'.

GNA also uncovered that men patronised coconut more than women as it is believed to have some aphrodisiac benefits for men in other words it improved sexual performance in men.

Mr Obeng explained that women seem to shun away from buying coconut because of how the fruit was packaged and sold, 'ladies feel shy to stand by the roadside to raise their head to drink and eat coconut'.

Mr Joe Kwansah near the Ghana Revenue Authority, Customs Division Head Office said coconut gives most men energy and that is the reason why men buy it more than women.

Mrs. Margret Bonnah a Public Servant who patronises coconut said medical practitioners had advised that taking coconut was good for the kidneys and washed all toxic out of the human body.

According to GNA research, coconuts are both delicious and nutritious, and should be considered as complete food as it is incredibly rich in vitamins, minerals, and calories.

One fruit can provide a daily dose of almost all essential nutrients.

Coconuts also lower the level of bad cholesterol in the body and help to keep the arteries clean and healthy.

Coconut water is not only a delicious and refreshing drink, but also rich in electrolytes, enzymes, and minerals, and helps digestion and boosts the metabolism.

According to experts' coconuts are good for weight loss even despite their high-calorie count, as cytokinin, one of the elements found in coconut water, possesses potent anti-carcinogenic and anti-ageing properties.

---GNA

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