Some traders at markets in Accra and Kasoa have expressed worry about the frequent spike in prices of foodstuff, resulting in decrease in patronage of merchandise.
They are, therefore, calling on government to as a matter of urgency introduce measures to salvage the situation.
On the other hand, some buyers have partly blamed the high cost of food and other commodities on the traders, who had taken advantage of the situation to inflate the prices of goods.
In separate interviews with the Ghanaian Times, yesterday, the traders said they feared they would soon be out of business, stressing the need for an immediate intervention by authorities.
Maame Adobea Saah, tomatoes seller, at the Mallam Market Accra, stated that she was now selling a medium sized basket full of tomatoes at GH¢60 as compared to about a week ago when same quantity was sold at GH¢35.
She bemoaned that some of her produce were going bad because most of her clients were unable to afford the new prices.
“I had clients, who used to buy two or three baskets at a go, but since last Friday, the number of customers patronising me has gone down to the extent that these expensive tomatoes I bought have started going bad. I am running my business on loan and if things continue like this how, will I be able to pay back,” she lamented.
An onion seller, Fuseini Djibo, at the Kasoa market, stated that just about two weeks ago, she bought a big sack of onion at GH¢450,“but when distributors of the onions arrived on Monday, the bag was being sold at GH¢640 and the smaller sacks selling at GH¢325.”
The father of four, stated that he would try and venture into another business, hoping that would be better than the onions he was currently selling.
Mr Djibo also said that he had been in onion business for close to a decade but now, he had never encountered such “hardship” before.
On the other hand, Ms Mary Duah, a Pupil teacher, who was at the Mallam market to buy a bag of rice, said she had to resort to buying ten kilos of long grain rice instead of the 25 kilos she had budgeted for due to the sudden rise in price of the cereal.
“When I came to buy 25 kilogrammes of basmati rice here a month ago from this same shop, it was sold to me at GH¢450, but today they are mentioning GH¢650 which I cannot afford. Even traders with old goods are selling at exorbitant prices and this is not fair at all,” she said.
According to Ms Duah, the situation if not checked could cause hunger, as many families would not be able to afford three square meals a day, and children would be affected most.
Wisdom Ampoful, a 40-year-old electrician, and father of three, told the Ghanaian Times that he believed many traders were cashing in on the bad economic situation, alleging that some traders had deliberately increased prices of goods to make more profit and turn around to blame government.
BY RAISSA SAMBOU
