Kumasi back to life
Commercial activities resumed yesterday in the Kumasi Metropolis after the 24-hour ‘lockdown’ of the city last Thursday for the final burial rites of the late Asantehemaa, Nana Afia Kobi Serwaa Ampem II.
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Almost all the streets that had lost their buzz were bustling with economic activities.
All the financial institutions that also closed their doors to the public were opened to the public for business.
Hawkers who deserted the streets were back in their numbers, busily engaged in their trading activities, and the Central Market, which was also locked to the public and traders, had become vibrant with brisk business.
Reactions
While most of the residents did not see anything wrong with the directive that prevented them from opening their shops and also remain indoors after 7:00p.m., others believed it was wrong to prevent them from earning their income.
Mrs Jemima Wereko, a banker, said it was not right for the entire city to be shut down.
Aside from the businesses losing out on their sales and contracts, she said the country also lost revenue through taxes.
She lamented that the revenues that would have accrued to the government through bank transactions and daily taxes paid by hawkers and traders were all lost.
While admitting that the same amount of revenue was lost to the state on public holidays, she maintained that other businesses such as restaurants, pubs and eateries could have worked and made some money.
For Miss Beatrice Spio-Garbrah, a journalist, the total adherence to the directive clearly showed the sort of power the traditional authority wielded in the region.
She said although many petty traders were denied their daily income for a day through the directive, it brought some sanity into the system and added that “honour must be given to who honour is due.”
According to her, in spite of the political system currently being practised, the traditional authority still played an important role in the scheme of things in the country.
Directive
The Manhyia Palace directed all shops and stores particularly in the Central Business District in Adum to be closed last Thursday for the burial rites of the late Asantehemaa.
It also directed that residents remain indoors from 7:00p.m. till 4:00a.m. the same day when the late queen mother was to be sent to the Breman Royal Mausoleum for interment.
