X’mas Shoppers Overwhelm Traders

Traders in the Central Business District of Accra have been swamped by several thousands of shoppers who have invaded their shops, as the Christmas season draws closer. Shop owners, who spoke to CITY & BUSINESS GUIDE, said they underestimated trading activities this season, especially after the recent presidential and parliamentary elections. At the Okaishie market, George Yeboah, a textile shop owner, who made reference to jammed streets and car parks said, “I was not expecting many people to come out to shop this December considering the political atmosphere but more and more people keep coming as the days go by.”

He said “though my shop opens at 8am and closes at 5pm buyers have in the past three days come to queue over here.” At the pedestrian shopping Mall located at the Kwame Nkrumah Circle in Accra, the traders claimed trading activities were low. Mawusi Setorfe, jewelry seller said “the people who come around are only engaged in window shopping. They are not buying. They only come to see our displayed goods and then they leave.” Ms Setorfe intends to make profit during the final days of the year. “I have stocked my shop and I estimate that my overall sales by the end of the year will shoot up compared to last year’s sales.” By Emelia Ennin Abbey

Imported Rice Swamp Market

Rice importers have overstocked their shops with variety of rice in anticipation of increased patronage during the Christmas festivities. The importers have embarked on massive advertisement in the media to attract the attention of potential and existing consumers of rice which mainly come from the United States of America, Taiwan, Vietnam and Thailand. The development has negatively affected the sale of locally produced rice. Despite government’s announcement to cut overseas importation drastically, imports ordered by traders in the industry in the last quarter of this year have increased significantly. “Our warehouses are filled with rice and we will empty them before the end of the year,” said Rose Aboagye, a rice dealer at Okaishie in Greater Accra. The 56-year-old woman, who has been in the rice trade for 18 years said: “This year, business was low at the beginning but we hope it will pick up. We do not want to turn our customers away when they call on us. ”

She said her shop – a wholesale shop – had already received orders from clients who are mostly retailers. Commenting on the prices, Madam Aboagye noted that the price of a bag of rice had been increased in the last few months, adding “it’s not our fault. It’s not as if we want to take advantage of the Christmas festivities to increase our prices but the issue is that there are excessive imports globally and this has pushed up the price of rice in the world market.” At the beginning of this year, a 5-kilo bag of rice was sold for GH¢150 but in the last three months, it went for between GH¢18 and GH¢22 depending on the brand. A 50-kilo bag of Texas rice, which was sold for GH¢80 last year, is now selling at GH¢115. In 2010, it was sold for GH¢65. Madam Aboagye was optimistic sales would increase “especially as Ghana’s presidential and parliamentary elections are over and Ghanaians are ready to celebrate the Yuletide.” Kwesi Ahwoi, Minister of Food & Agriculture, in November this year, stated that government had reduced rice importation by 30 per cent and had increased local production of the cereal by 59 per cent. He said the government used policies and other interventions such as subsidization of fertilizer, distribution of improved seeds and the introduction of the Savanah Accelerated Development Authority project as well as the Northern Rural Growth Programme to reduce poverty and boost food security among rural households. According to Michael Champonu, a trader, “The quality of the local rice is poor.” The rice trading sector faces many challenges including the smuggling of the cereals into the country that deprives the state of the much-needed revenue. But Solomon Kwadwo Kusi, Coordinator of the Rice Headloads Association, noted that many people patronize other staples during periods of good harvest and food glut. On the other hand, the Customs Division of the Ghana Revenue Authority acknowledged that certain smuggling activities occur at Ghana’s borders. To curb the situation, customs officials patrol inland road check points, while mobile task forces are deployed to track down smugglers. Nabil Moukarzel, Executive Chairman of Finatrade, a leading company trading and promoting local rice, hinted that local initiatives must help to increase consumption of locally-produced rice. By Emelia Ennin Abbey

La Residents Task Aspiring MP over Better Water, Sanitation, Hygiene Services

Residents in the La Dadekotopon Constituency have tasked parliamentary candidates of the various political parties to outline plans to address water, sanitation and hygiene problems in the area. The New Patriotic Party’s (NPP) Oscare Nii Odio Glover, Nii Amasah Namoale, National Democratic Congress (NDC), Simon Sowah of the Progressive People’s Party (PPP), Torto Obodai Nala Adjah interacted with residents and students in the area during a programme organized by Coalition of NGOs in Water and Sanitation (CONIWAS) to discuss how to tackle issues of water, sanitation and hygiene. The programme, which falls under citizen’s engagement organized by CONIWAS in partnership with GLONEHDO and WaterAid, formed part of plans to encourage political parties to prioritize water, sanitation and hygiene in their developmental programmes. After the aspirants delivered their speeches, Peal Asantewa Ampomah, a JHS 2 pupil of Saint Paul school, said her school does not have a toilet facility which makes them use the drains and beaches.

While the candidates of the NPP, NDC and PPP said they would provide toilet facilities, the CPP candidate hinted that he would form sanitary brigades in addition to the provision of toilets. Socu Bright, a JHS 1 pupil, said students waste lesson hours to collect and dump refuse due to the absence of a dumping place in the community. The CPP, NDC and NPP parliamentary candidates said they would first fence the school and provide waste bins. The PPP candidate said he would provide additional security. Sarah Sena Asibi, a JHS 2 pupil, said the lack of water in her school is a major problem, but the PPP candidate assured her that boreholes would be dug in the schools. Later in an interview, Ben Authur, Executive Secretary of CONIWAS, in an interview, said the aim of the engagement was to get candidates to commit to improving WASH service delivery at La. He explained that “we will monitor to ensure they keep their promises and we will do that by coming back in the course of the four years.” By Emelia Ennin Abbey From right Oscare Glover, Nii Amasah Namoale, Simon Sowah and Torto Obodai Nala Adjah at the residents engagement