COVID-19 Lockdown: Panic Buying Needless – Ambrose Dery

Interior Minister, Ambrose Dery says he has observed the panic buying at markets, stampede at fuel service stations closure of some banks.

He has described it as unnecessary.

In an interview with the press in Parliament, Mr. Dery called on all Ghanaians to abide by the directive of the President or have themselves to blame.

“I have just gone around a few places today and there appears to be some misunderstanding about some of the things. The rush to buy things is totally unnecessary because the measures have made it possible that you can go to the market and buy food and that wherever food is sold would be open so the rush before the deadline is totally unnecessary and a misunderstanding.” Markets in Accra, Kumasi choked ahead of lockdown

Most Ghanaians trooped into town to undertake certain essential services such as buying food items from and also patronize the services of the banks ahead of the two-week lockdown on Saturday.

The lockdown of parts of Accra from Monday was announced by the President in an address on Friday night.

This announcement resulted in massive human and vehicular traffic across the capital on Saturday.

Various banking halls were packed with people while ATMs in Madina had long queues as customers waited to withdraw their money.

Citi News' Ann Shirley Ziwu who visited the Madina market on Saturday reported that hundreds of shoppers had trooped in to stock up foodstuff pending the commencement of the partial lockdown.

In Kumasi, the situation was not different where Citi News’ Ashanti Regional Correspondent, Edward Oppong Marfo reported that panic buying had hit major market centres in the Regional capital, as some residents had begun getting various items needed until the restrictions are lifted.

One shopper said she had come to shop against any challenge the lockdown will have upon her feeding, bearing in mind her safety in the wake of the pandemic.

“I just want to stock up a bit so that in case of any problem, I will be sorted. The directive is a step in the right directive even though it is so strict. So we will abide and know the next step. A lot of people are here because of fear and panic; they don't want to starve. I am shopping so that I will quietly be in the house in case of any eventualities.”

At the bank one customer intimated that “based on what we heard last night, so my wife is at the market to shop and I am here to withdraw some money to see what future holds for us.”

---citinewsroom