Accra, April 20, GNA – Business activities within Ashaiman central business district are picking up slowly after the three-week lockdown imposed on Greater Accra and Greater Kumasi metropolitan areas was lifted by President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo on Monday.
President Akufo-Addo in his seventh COVID-19 televised address to the nation on Sunday lifted the three-week restrictions of movement in Accra, Tema, Awutu Senya East (Kasoa) and Kumasi and its contiguous areas, effective Monday April 20.
The busy market area, lorry parks and heavy traffic around the main traffic, which serves as the main entrance to the city was not as busy as usual. Some shops were opened but most of them were closed, at the time the Ghana News Agency visited the place.
GNA observed that commercial vehicles, taxis and motor bikes had hit back on the road doing brisk business; however, most were noticed to be observing the social distancing protocol and wearing nose masks.
Mr Yaw Akwah, a Porter at the Ashaiman Cape-Coast main station, told the GNA that business was very slow.
He said as at 11:00 hours, the first car was still not full and attributed the situation to the fact that most people did not have money to travel as they have spent all they had during the lockdown period.
He was, however, optimistic that business would get back to normalcy soon, as most people only heard of the announcement this morning.
Mr Ahmed Sule, a trotro driver loading from Ashaiman market to Atadeka, said he had to load nine passengers instead of the usual 12 due to the need to adhere to social distancing in vehicles.
He said for the past weeks, he had been at home to avoid being arrested; adding, the Police and Military presence during the lockdown deterred most of them from working as usual.
Madam Cynthia Oppong of ‘3ye Adom Enterprise,’ carpet and mattress seller, said she had made some sales and hoped business would spring back as it was before the lockdown.
Mr Michael Mensah, a barber in Lebanon, also said business was slow as the coronavirus outbreak had affected their operations because customers feared they might contract the disease.
GNA