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Pre-Christmas shopping, as has always been the case, usually starts in October. However, this year's was different, as many residents in Kumasi held on with their shopping before Christmas, in anticipation of the outcome of the December 7 elections.
Many people felt jittery and uncertain as to how peaceful the elections would be, and typical of Ghanaians, people were rather interested in buying food items to stock their kitchens rather than buying Christmas stuff.
According to traders, two weeks before the elections, many people who came to town to shop were all interested in buying food items such as gari, beans and bags of rice, and they all believed in stocking their homes with food to keep themselves and their families fortified for any post-election violence and a possible 'lockdown'.
Indeed, the cost of these long-shelf-life food items shot up prior to the elections because of the high demand for them. An olonka (measure) of gari and beans, which was then sold at GH¢25 and GH¢45 respectively, shot up, and in most cases, the prices of these food items doubled.
In some instances, there was a shortage of these food items, especially gari, a most sought-after meal by predominantly senior high school boarders and preferred 'backup' food items for people to stock their kitchen at a time when the country was at the crossroads.
Howbeit, soon after the elections, it was as if someone had blown a whistle for all to go to the central business district in the Kumasi Metropolis to shop ahead of Christmas, as the demand of shoppers abruptly changed from food items to Christmas stuff such as clothes, shoes and Christmas paraphernalia.
"Now the demand for gari, as compared to last month, has completely changed. I barely sell a bag of gari a day, as compared to the average 10 bags I used to sell last two months," Maame Ama Asabea, a gari seller who operates from the 'Borla ho' Market, told this reporter.
"Market has been good until the outcome of this election. Now people don't troop in here to buy like they used to," she said, adding that their only hope left was for senior high schools to reopen for them (traders) to cash in on the boarders.
For traders who sell Christmas items, the market seems to be going in their favour, as Kwame Peprah, a shop owner in the new Kejetia Market (Dubai), gladly told this reporter.
"In fact, business is good. Now elections are over and people are coming out in their numbers to buy Christmas clothes and shoes," he said, supplying further that their sales had completely dwindled in recent months.
"Last two months, I used to sell an average of five pairs of shoes every day. As you can see, it is just midday and I can count not less than 100 pairs of shoes that I have sold,” Mr Peprah emphasised, adding that, the demand for Christmas dresses was also encouraging.
The regional capital has been known for its vibrant commercial activities and the erstwhile
Kumasi Central Market, which was pulled down to kick start the phase two Redevelopment of the Kejetia/Central Market Project, remains one of the reasons for the enormous gridlock in the CBD.
The hundreds of traders evacuated from the Central Market, as well as those evacuated from some satellite markets - Krofrom, Abinkyi, and Race Course markets - have worsened the situation.
Due to its central location, the city attracts lots of visitors daily and serves as the transit point between the Northern and the Southern, as well as the Western and Eastern parts of the country, thereby worsening the already 'choked' CBD.
As a result of the high vehicular and human traffic that passes through the city daily, coupled with the behaviour of some traders within the business district, city managers have had difficulty managing the congestion in the city over the years.
Especially before the nation went to polls, city authorities treated traders with kids' gloves, perhaps because they needed them (potential voters) to cast their ballots in favour of the ruling NPP administration.
The situation has created high patronage for head porters, popularly known in Kumasi as 'Paa o Paa', as they are the most sought means to get one’s groceries from the commercial area because the enclave is now a no-go area for vehicles.
Pickpockets have also taken advantage of the gridlock situation within the enclave and are stealing from shoppers at the least opportunity.
