The Director General of the GMet, Group Captain Stephen Komla, said although the three northern regions and areas such as the Kete Krachi South District had started experiencing Harmattan, it would soon hit the Greater Accra and other regions along the coastal belt.

He explained this year’s Harmattan, which started in mid-November and was expected to end in March 2017, “will intensify, relax, intensify and relax until the end of the season”.

The mild Harmattan announcement was received with joy as a harsh Harmattan season is very unfriendly to most people, especially workers and schoolchildren.  During such periods, the weather becomes extremely cold in the morning, such that getting out of bed becomes a problem.

Severe Harmattan could also result in lip cracking, sore throat, loss of voice, cold, cough, catarrh and skin burning which is very uncomfortable.

The “Harmattan free” holiday joy was, however, short-lived as it intensified barely 24 hours after Christmas Day.

Over the years, sales in Shea butter, lip balms, lip gloss and other petroleum based products boom during the Harmattan period because they last longer on the skin, prevent dry skin and cracking of the lip.

Business booms for Shea butter sellers

A survey in some markets in the capital revealed the Shea butter sellers have already started cashing in few days after the Harmattan intensified.

A seller at the Kaneshie Market told The Mirror that although Shea butter had become very popular over the years due to its cosmetic benefits, more people only purchase it during the dry season.

Madam Lydia Tetteh, who had sold Shea butter for over 10 years, said the cream was more capable of fighting dry skin more than its competitors.

“These days, people buy it for different purposes; some for their hair, others also mix it with other creams, but none of these creams can be compared to the Shea butter which is also cheaper compared to other creams,” she noted.

She explained that for GH¢1, one could get a piece of the butter which could last till the end of the dry season.

Another seller at the Tema Station also told The Mirror that she was disappointed when she heard earlier that this year’s Harmattan would be mild.

She also stated that although more people patronised Shea butter these days, the dry season was their “cocoa season”.

“During the dry season, we do not even have to shout to attract buyers as they come looking for shea butter sellers themselves. I had planned to restock after the New Year celebrations but the change in weather automatically affected sales and so I restocked yesterday.”

Packaged shea butter

Aside the local shea butter vendors, there are different brands of shea butter on the market which have been packaged nicely to attract buyers and are usually marketed on social media platforms.

Precautions

Medical experts advise that it is important to drink more water to keep the body hydrated during this period.

Additionally, it is important to wear protective clothes, especially in the mornings and keep the body properly moisturised.