Social distancing: Market women lament low sales a week after being moved from Dome to Kwabenya

The Ga East Municipal Assembly as part of efforts to create social distancing aimed at curbing the spread of the deadly COVID-19, last week decided to move some traders from the Dome market to the Kwabenya Basic school park.

Speaking to GhanaWeb a week after working in the new open market, some of the traders say sales have been badly affected as they are now trying to build a new clientele base.

“Because it is a newly opened market some of the shoppers only come to scout in order to decide whether they can start shopping here or they have to keep going to Dome.” A trader shared.

Other traders also cited the issue of increase in prices effected by the pandemic outbreak as a cause of the low patronage of their products.

On the issue of social distancing which formed the basis for the traders being moved to the school park, some of them say the effectiveness of the measure seems to be winding down as their numbers keep growing by the day.

“When we came here initially there was a distance between the tables but now a lot of people have come to join us by taking up the spaces. We are still trying our best to adhere to the guidelines.” A trader informed GhanaWeb.

Some also added that even though authorities have been combing through the market to ensure adherence to preventive measures such as social distancing and the compulsory wearing of nose masks, the absence of handwashing facilities in the new market poses a challenge in protecting them and their buyers from contracting the virus.

The traders while expressing hope that patronage at the market will grow with time called on the media and the municipal authorities to create public awareness about the new market to help them attract clients.

“All that we are asking for is for the government the radio, stations or the media to help us spread the news that there is a market over here. So that people will come and buy our things.” One of the market women prayed.



Following the lifting of restriction on movement imposed in some parts of the country to curb the spread of COVID-19 by government, authorities have been struggling to enforce the social distancing order as traders whose businesses took a hit from the lockdown clamour to recoup their losses.

This situation has caused authorities to open temporal markets to ensure adherence to the social distancing order.