By Frank Kwame Abbor
Ho, June 30, GNA – A seven-hour heavy downpour on Monday, June 29, disrupted trading activities in Ho, forcing many traders to suspend or scale down business operations on one of the municipality’s busiest market days.
The rains, which began at Monday dawn and persisted intermittently for about seven hours, affected movement within the municipality and discouraged both traders and customers from patronising the Ho Central Market and other commercial centres.
Many traders who had opened their shops and stalls were compelled to partially close or suspend operations as continuous rainfall and waterlogged conditions made trading difficult. Prospective buyers also stayed away due to the unfavourable weather.
Mr Christian Youngs, Ho Municipal Director of the National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO), told the Ghana News Agency that the prolonged rainfall would inevitably affect commercial activities, noting that many traders travel from surrounding communities to Ho on market days.
“The rain started very early this morning, and those travelling from nearby communities to sell their goods or come to buy items will definitely be affected because some roads and bridges are under reconstruction, making access difficult in certain areas,” he said.
Mr Youngs commended the Mawuleme Movement for its ongoing desilting exercise across the municipality, stating that the intervention had helped minimise the impact of flooding.
“We are grateful to the Mawuleme Movement for the massive desilting works they are undertaking. Without those interventions, Ho would have experienced a different situation with serious flooding,” he stated.
At the Ho Central Market, Sister Dziedzorm, a provisions trader, said she partially closed her container to prevent rainwater from damaging her goods, explaining that customer turnout had dropped significantly.
“Today is our market day, but because it has been raining continuously, very few customers have come. Earlier this morning it was only drizzling, but shortly afterwards the rain became heavier, making it difficult for people to move around and trade,” she said.
The downpour also slowed vehicular and pedestrian movement in parts of the municipality, as some roads became waterlogged, compelling motorists and commuters to exercise caution.
Residents expressed hope that the weather would improve to allow trading activities to resume, while NADMO urged the public to avoid flood-prone areas and remain vigilant throughout the rainy season.
GNA
Edited by Maxwell Awumah/Lydia Kukua Asamoah