Kejetia Fires: Traders rush to cash in on late Eid sales

Traders at the Kejetia Market had to catch a late wind of Eid sales on Wednesday as the New Market Complex was closed till 10 o’clock.

This was to make room for investigators to cordon off the area which was gutted by fire the night earlier.

For the timely intervention of the Ghana Fire Service, the blaze could have spread beyond a baby care shop and fabric store where the fire started.

With just a few hours to sell to the Eid Celebrants; the traders expressed mixed reactions to sales with a majority complaining of poor patronage.

Ultimate News’ Salimatu Hawini reported that traders at the food market were uncertain how sales will pan out, ahead of the Eid Celebrations.

“I sell natural spices, tin tomatoes and rice. They let us in at 11 o’clock so we are still here waiting for customers. The numbers we expected yesterday and today have been disappointing,” a trader Mavis Kisiwaa Adu lamented.

One area of focus was the hub for hijabs, abaya, fabric, and jewelry located just above the affected floor.

Prices for any of the adornments could range from as low as ten cedis to as high as five hundred cedis. The traders were however unimpressed with this year’s Eid Sales.

“Sales were not good but with the closeness of the Salah, people are picking the ‘mayafi’ and the abaya. They don’t buy the expensive ones so it appears we are losing out on that,” Rehina Gyimah Anass told Salimatu.

Outside the Kejetia Market, traders played the usual hide and seek with the KMA taskforce to sell their merchandise.

Some footwear sellers told Ultimate News but for the harassment of the city guards, the market was good.

“It’s going well but I don’t understand why during X’mas they left us to sell anywhere but it is Salah and the KMA people will not allow us to sell on the streets,” Prince Nsiah fumed.

The chief meat of the Small Eid is chicken. But it appears the sellers might be running losses this year with low patronage.

A hawker Akua Lareba said she has lost 200 cedis as 10 of her birds each costing 20 cedis had died after remaining in the cages for so long without a buyer.

Meanwhile, some Eid Shoppers complained about the prices of goods and foodstuff on the market.

I came to get some rice, food stuff, clothes and footwear but the prices are on the high. Things you could get for 20 cedis are now going for 25 cedis,” Mariama lamented.

“Tomorrow is Salah so we came to buy all we will need so that we can go to worship in the morning. The prices of the clothing and food items is quite high but we don’t have a choice,” Memuna Haruna noted.

Traders who could not make the best of the day would have to look towards the last minute shoppers to rake in some good profit as the Eid lasts.