Tema, Dec. 24, GNA - Residents of Tema on the eve of the Yuletide, flocked the Community One Central Market, to make last minute shopping towards the celebration of the birth of Christ in grand style. The market was filled to capacity as shoppers made frantic movements to buy basic necessities ranging from children's clothes to foodstuffs, Christmas decorations, drinks and other items. Poultry dealers who during the outbreak of the Avian Influenza (Bird Flu) complained bitterly about virtually no sales, were making brisk business as many people had flocked their coops with some buying live and dressed fowls, which sold between GH=A29.00 and GHC12.00. Prices of some of the items had suddenly shot up with a 50 kilo of "delta", "AAA", Rocky and CIC rice selling at GHC33.00 cedis instead of the previous GH=A225.00, with a gallon of cooking oil going for GH=A29.00.

Palm nuts, pepper were scarce, while the sizes of cucumber, garden eggs had shrunk, prices of plantain and cassava had not changed as four fingers of "apantu" bigger size remained the same as 50 pesewas. A vegetable seller told the GNA that many people have developed the taste for garlic because they claim it has medicinal value so its patronage had gone high making sales very good. Children's clothes were given out between GH=A220.00 and GH=A215.00, but common on the market were biscuits, toffees, soft drinks, toys, decorations and stars.

The usual vehicular traffic characterized with such festivities made movements uncomfortable as vehicles could delay in traffic for about an hour, thus compelling commuters to alight and walk if they were closer to their destinations. Masqueraders have also made their presence felt, however, unlike the previous days when they drummed and danced to the tune of music moving from house to house this time they only roamed the streets concentrating on soliciting for money from passengers. Jubilant celebrants have ignored government ban on the firing of crackers popularly known as "knock outs" and have continue to fire them at random.