Easter Break: Online taxi drivers, hairdressers and tailors cash in, others left out
Some online taxi drivers, hairdressers and tailors say the recent Easter holidays brought in some significant income for them.
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Meanwhile, others did not see much change in their revenue.
A part-time Bolt driver, Yaw Newman, told The Mirror in Accra last Tuesday that he made over GH¢1,000 in profit during the three-day Easter break.
He said most of his earnings came from churchgoers, beach lovers and nightlife lovers.
Mr Newman explained that the high demand for service during the holidays led to increased prices, contributing to his significant earnings.
Online Taxi Drivers
Another online driver, Sam Adonteng said he utilised all the popular online ride-hailing apps such as Bolt, Uber and Yango.
He said he worked about 20 hours a day during the festivities because he had a weekly sales target he wanted to meet during the break.
“I managed to make over GH¢3,000 across the various platforms after paying commissions to the various platforms,” he added.
When asked how much the platforms charged, he said Uber and Bolt charged 20 per cent while Yango charged 18 per cent.
Mr Adonteng and Mr Newman both attributed the income made to the demand for service, which translated into a hike in prices.
“This was good news for us drivers because it helped us recover some of the money we had lost in previous weeks from maintaining our vehicles,” Mr Newman noted.
Another driver our reporter spoke to, Mr Philip Nukpesah, said that he mainly uses the Bolt service and chooses to work in the evenings.
He mentioned that while he did not earn much money during the Easter weekend, it was still better than before.
"Driving for Bolt is my part-time gig, alongside my main job as an Administrative Assistant. In terms of profit, it's somewhat decent, but the expenses for fuel and maintaining the vehicle really cut into the earnings, not to mention the commissions we have to pay to use the service," he noted.
Hairdressers
On the flip side, hairstylists often see a significant increase in business during such festive seasons. While some reported booming sales, others noted a relatively slower patronage.
The owner of Flex Beauty Palour at Madina-Social Welfare, Accra, Madam Patricia Oluwatosin, noted that due to her salon's bustling location, she experienced a substantial increase in business.
"I had more bookings for children. Some parents wanted their daughters to look good for events like funfairs, church outings and trips to the beach while others simply wanted them to look nice for family gatherings during the holiday," she explained.
She mentioned that popular styles during this time included braids with beads, knotless box braids, and wig installations for adults.
The shop of Mrs Mary Aziawo of Fear God Premium Beauty Salon
Over the three days, Madam Oluwatosin estimated earning an average of GH¢5,000, which included various services such as nails, lashes, pedicures, manicures, facials, and wig making.
"For us as hairstylists, these seasons are like our ‘cocoa season', where we see increased profits and work late into the night. My salon was open during the holiday period until around 2 a.m.," she added.
However, the Fear God Beauty Salon owner at Adenta-Washing Bay in Accra, Madam Mary Aziawo, had a different experience.
She mentioned that sales were slow for her mainly because she operated without any additional workers or apprentices, causing her to turn away many potential clients.
Additionally, her salon's location within the community didn't attract much business as the residents were not inclined to spend money locally.
“They are very ‘chisel’ and see everything as expensive so they mostly come around for washing or some basic hairstyles,” she added.
Tailors
In the fashion world, tailors like Miss Ophelia Darko of Mapam Fashion at Spintex, Accra, expressed disappointment during the Easter break. She observed that many people either opted for ready-made outfits or wore their existing clothes.
"For us, our main income source now revolves around sewing two-piece outfits for sale and catering to brides by creating their traditional and wedding attires. Unfortunately, I only received two orders during the break, both for Sunday church service," she explained.
Speaking to the sales manager of Tantyz Fashion House at Airport West in Accra, Mr Semenyo Fianko, custom orders did not come so much but their already-made attires sold quite well.
“Our main patrons were the expatriates and diasporas in the country. However, generally, it was a quiet Easter for us,” he noted.
