The Christmas traffic

The season of human and vehicular traffic is here again. As usual, the Yuletide has seen thousands of people from all walks of life trooping to the market places, supermarkets and gift shops to buy things for themselves or their loved ones, relatives and friends.

The occasion always brings smiles to the faces of market women, and shop owners, the biggest beneficiaries of the season who do brisk business and double their sales. Unfortunately, the situation is quite different this year. A visit by The Mirror to the Accra Central District Market has revealed that Christmas shopping this season has not been as many traders would expect.

This could be seen from the gloomy faces of some of those The Mirror talked to. Though most of the market centres are choked with human and vehicular traffic giving the impression of good patronage, the traders claim most of the people are window shoppers.

They said that most of their customers are complaining that there is no money in the system, and that their salary levels cannot meet their day-to-day expenditure. Others are also complaining that with school fees to be paid in January, they see no need in spending all their money shopping for Christmas.

At Melcom, the managing director, Davis George, said sales have picked up slightly as compared to the previous weeks. He admitted that prices have increased, but he was quick to add that their customers have also increased as compared to last year’s.

He said most customers who visit the shop are more interested in buying Christmas items such as cards, decorations and children’s items.

At the Kaneshie Market, a 50kg bag of rice and 20 litre cooking oil range between ?210,000 to ?240,000 and ?150,000 and ?170, 000 respectively. A wholesaler complained that locally-produced rice is in short supply due to high demand.

Despite the fact that most people eat chicken all year round, it seems the public is not prepared to do away with it this Christmas. As put by one customer, “Christmas is Christmas, and though my family takes chicken almost every week, we still have to take it but specially prepared, this Christmas.”

The price of chicken, just like other commodities has shot up. It ranges between ?35,000 and ?50,000 against ?30,000 and ?40,000 last year. The price of wax prints such GTP, ATL, Holland, and Nigeria Wax range between ?70,000 and ?250,000 depending on the type.

Those in the hair and dress making business however are making profits. Generally, foodstuffs are in abundance with prices much prices much lower as compared to last year’s. For instant, a bag of onion which sold between ?500,000 and ?700,000 last year has drastically reduced to ?440,000 and ?500,000.

Most traders at Makola were of the view that, last year people shopped earlier as compared to this year. They are however optimistic that business will take a turn for the better by next week.