The excitement that characterized the observation of Valentine’s Day every year is conspicuously absent in Sunyani, a survey conducted by the Ghana News Agency (GNA) has revealed.

Every February 14, in the United States and other parts of the world, candies, flowers and gifts are exchanged among loved ones to mark Valentine’s Day, instituted by St. Valentine, a Catholic priest some years ago.

The main idea of the institution of the Valentine’s Day, has not yet been achieved as people, especially the youth, continue to read other meanings into the celebration and have capitalized on the occasion to indulge in sexual promiscuity and other unhealthy activities.

Though shop owners and other petty traders at the Sunyani business district and some taxi ranks in the Sunyani Municipality, have displayed souvenirs and other valentine items at their premises, patronage has been very poor.

The situation is not different at the main Fiapre taxi rank on the Sunyani-Berekum highway, a vantage point for dealers in all kinds of valentine items.

When the GNA visited the area around 1100 hours on Tuesday, a few people were seen patronizing varieties of valentine souvenirs, usually decorated in red and white colours.

The items included toys, ladies panties, varieties of alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks, pens, rings, dairies, hampers and greeting cards with price tags ranging between GHC2 and GHC6, GHC15 and GHC65.

Madam Hagar Osei, an attendant at one of the shops, expressed concern that patronage was low, but she was optimistic that by the close of the day business would pick up.

Some of the traders admitted the euphoria that normally characterized the “love day” had been absent this year, as compared to previous years.

“Last year for instance was a field day for us as business was very brisk and booming”, Joyce Osei, another shop attendant, said.

The GNA learnt of similar situations at pharmaceutical shops as patronage affirmed significant decrease in condom purchase.

Mr. Sae Joseph, owner of Sai Joseph Chemical Shop in Sunyani, said there was shortage of the commodity last year “but the situation is very different this year”.

Mr. Gordon Yele, attendant at the Ernest Chemical shop in Sunyani, said there had been no sales of condom since morning but he said the item was always in high demand during the night.