Kayayei

Female head porters, popularly called ‘Kayayei’, were seen idling or sleeping in front of closed shops, as there was no business for them to carry out.

A head porter who gave her name as Halima complained that she had not been able to make GH¢40 as of 2 p.m when the team visited.

That, she said, was contrary to what she used to make previously. For instance, she could make GH¢100 a day before Christmas “but the situation has changed after the celebrations.”

“We are not happy at all; we have been lying down here since morning due to poor business activities,” Halima said.

Closed shops

The Daily Graphic’s checks also revealed that most of the shops were closed, while the lorry stations were empty, with few passengers waiting for their vehicles to get filled.

The usually busy Rawlings Park was empty, with few traders around the park making frantic efforts to attract buyers to their wares.

Some traders who were idling described the situation as discouraging because there was virtually no business for them.

A dress seller, Madam Derickphine Dotse, said business picked up after the election but had slowed down drastically after the festive season, adding, “we are hoping business will pick up again in two weeks.”

A handbag seller, Ms Grace Men Sowah, also told the Daily Graphic that she had not been able to sell up to GH¢300 worth of goods, adding that business after Christmas was always slow, but she expected it to pick up soon.