Coronavirus restrictions affect fabric and shoe businesses in Sunyani

Fabric, and shoe dealers in the Sunyani Municipality on Thursday expressed worry over poor sales this Easter festivity.

The traders told the Ghana News Agency (GNA) in a market survey at the Sunyani Central Business District (CBD) that the Covid-19 restrictions and ban over social gathering had greatly affected businesses.

Mr Festus Yeboah, a fabric trader noted that sales have dwindled this year due to the embargo on church conventions, saying, people buy fabric mostly to attend conventions.

He said “during previous Easter festive years, the shop gets choked with customers but things have changed this year ’’.

Mr Festus observed that sales in African prints such as GTP, hitarget, lace, Akosombo Textile Limited (ATL), Woodin materials, and polish cotton have seen poor patronage this season.

Mrs Vida Baffuah, a dealer in shoes and slippers also complained her goods did not receive much sales this year because most people purchase the shoes to match the fabric they wear, but this could not happen this year.

She said ‘’I use to sell shoes and slippers of about 27 to 35 pieces a day, but sales have reduced drastically to less than 10’’.

Mrs Ruth Benewaa, told the GNA in a related interview that “sales of provisions have not been so encouraging as compared to previous years”, saying purchasing of products like rice, oil, tomato paste, mackerel have received less interest but hope to have higher sales on Friday and Saturday.

She said ‘’Easter season was a period most people purchase artificial spices but due to the Covid-19 pandemic the people now prefer natural spices such as ‘’Hwentia, ‘’Rosemary’’, Ginger, Garlic, Shallot as announced by the government that it boast the immune system’’.