Tema, Dec. 23, GNA - Frantic efforts by residents Tema to shop for the Christmas on Friday slowed down vehicular movement within the commercial centre of the town. As a result, commuters had to spend long hours in traffic.

The central market at Community One was full to capacity as women were seen concentrating on the purchase of children's clothes and shoes while some had lined up for live and frozen chicken at the cold stores. Prices of food items like plantain, cassava, yam and cocoyam were normal but prices of vegetables have increased. A ball of cabbage that used to sell at 5,000 cedis is now 8,000 cedis.

The sizes of garden-eggs and tomatoes appear diminish and the traders attribute this to the dry weather. A bag of 50 kilogrammes of Thai rice that used to sell at 260,000 is selling at 300,000 cedis. The general atmosphere of the city appears calm with a few masqueraders roaming the streets.