By Dennis Peprah
Sunyani, April 2, GNA – Buying and selling have peaked in Sunyani, the Bono Regional capital, as the Traditional Council commences the pre-burial and funeral rites of the late paramount Chief of Sunyani Nana Bosoma Asor Nkrawiri II.
As tradition demands, the traditional council has ordered the closure of shops, stores and major as well as satellite markets in the capital effective Wednesday April 3, 2024.
All food vending businesses along the streets of the capital are all expected to comply with the directive.
The Council announced the demise of Nana Nkrawiri on Tuesday, July 25, 2023, and had subsequently set his pre-burial and funeral rites for Monday April 1 to Sunday April 7.
Known in private life as Christian Kwaakye, Nana Nkrawiri was a retired educationist, born on May 31, 1946, and became the Paramount Chief of Sunyani on Monday, March 17, 1980.
During a market survey, the Ghana News Agency (GNA) noticed a boom in business activities at the Central Business District (CBD), the Nana Bosoma Central and the Sunyani “Masomsom” markets respectively.
In the early hours of Tuesday, major shops, provision as well as cold stores at the CBD which hitherto would have opened around 0900, had already commenced brisk business.
At around 0700 hours some of the shop attendants, and women traders told the GNA that sales were very good and exciting, but they were worried about the directive to close their businesses.
“I think the directive is very harsh, at least they should have considered and allowed us to open our stores in the evenings,” a shopkeeper stated.
Madam Joyce Yeboah, a popular fishmonger and cold store operator at the “Masomasom” market, said she was worried that her stuff would get rotten due to the intermittent power outages and fluctuations being experienced nowadays in parts of the municipality.
That notwithstanding, she said business seemed good, and expressed the hope that sales would continue in the course of the day.
At the Nana Bosoma Central Market, business activities looked brisk, though it was only reserved for Wednesdays where traders from other parts of the municipality and villages throng to sell their stuff.
Some of the buyers the GNA chanced on explained they were in the central market to buy and store more stuff that would meet their needs on the days of the funeral celebration.
Meanwhile, the brisk business activity in the town has created a field day for wheelbarrow, truck pushers and head potters in the Municipality.
Some of them told the GNA they arrived at the central market around 0600 hours, and business had since been good.
Amina Salifu, a single mother, and a head potter said the demand for her service had been exciting at the market and she had even made new customers.
GNA