Accra, Dec. 23, GNA - Most traders in the central business district of Accra on Wednesday complained of poor patronage of their goods in the run-up to the Yuletide. A tour of the business area by the Ghana News Agency (GNA) showed that there were many people doing "window shopping" while movement also became difficult.

Madam Yvonne Okyere, a trader said, although 2008 was an election year, business was far better then than this year, and said it was her expectation of an improvement in the situation with the change of government. Mr. Kwabena Yafo, a dealer in second-hand clothing, said there had been an increase in the prices of goods making them expensive for the customers and thereby affecting their profit margin.

Mrs. Nafisa Commey, a dealer in jewellery, said business was poor, adding "some of the people only enter the shops to inspect the items and leave". Mrs. Agnes Otoo, a civil servant, expressed disappointed about the prices of goods on the market since they were beyond her budget for the Christmas. Mr. John Quaye, a customer, said there was not much money in the system and that he had to reduce the number of items to be purchased because schools would re-open after the Christmas. Some customers told GNA that the economy was hard and so they had to save the money they had for the coming year. 23 Dec. 09