Source: Ghanaian Times Online | 19 March 2020

There is mad rush for food items and toiletries from the Nsawam market by residents of Nsawam  and its environs, ostensibly in preparation toward a possible lock down  of the economy due to outbreak of the coronavirus (COVID-19)

When the Ghanaian Times visited the Nsawam market on Tuesday, even though it was not a market day, the market was full of shoppers with long queues of people in the various stores and sheds in the market buying food stuffs and other essentials.

 The Ghanaian Times observed that people were buying rice, oil, fruits and vegetables, maize, corn, beans, gari, corn and cassava dough and other food items.

Some of the shoppers, who spoke to Ghanaian Times and did not want their names to be mentioned, said they were preparing for any eventuality.

“I came and bought some oil, rice, maize, beans and some fruits and vegetables and toiletries to store for the family,” one of the shoppers said.

She said even though the country had not reached a crisis situation, there was the need for people to prepare.

“I am taking a cue from preparation being done by people in countries which have recorded the disease,” one of the shoppers said.

According to her, she had seen on social media that in some countries people were fighting over toiletries due to shortage.

“My brother, i can’t take chances, we all have to prepare to so that in case we are not asked to go out, we can help ourselves and our neighbours,” she said.

Some of the interviewees complained that some shop owners and traders were taking advantage of the problem to arbitrary increased their prices.

“A product I bought GH¢80.00 last Saturday is now being sold at GH¢120.00,” one of the shoppers complained.

Another person said “I bought a sanitiser for GH¢2.00 about two weeks ago, but today the same size of that sanitiser is sold at GH¢10.00.”

Ghana recorded its imported corona virus case on Thursday, March 12, from two persons from Turkey and Norway.

The Ministry of Health which announced the outbreak said the cases were confirmed by the Noguchi Memorial Institute.

Currently Ghana has recorded seven cases of COVID-19.

Earlier, President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo announced a $100-million package to enhance the country’s preparedness for the disease, which among others, would be used to fund the construction of infrastructure to accommodate people who have the disease.

From KINGSLEY ASARE, Nsawam