Susana Asabea says cash-strapped shoppers are leaving Kantamanto traders idle

Kantamanto Market trader Susana Asabea says weak customer spending is making it increasingly difficult for sellers to earn a living, with many traders spending long hours at their stalls while goods remain unsold. Speaking on Joy News’ PM Express programme, Asabea said shoppers often tell sellers they cannot afford the prices being asked. She explained that traders may have bought their goods at a high cost, only to face offers far below what they need to recover their outlay and make a profit. “When you go and buy something with a high price and someone is coming to buy it, the amount you call to the person, the person reduces it half,” she said, describing the bargaining pressure sellers face. According to Asabea, customers frequently explain that they have no money, leaving traders with few sales despite the costs of running their businesses. She said the problem appeared to affect people across different backgrounds and age groups, not only those shopping at Kantamanto. In her account, sellers are left waiting at their stalls as potential buyers struggle to meet everyday expenses. “When we go to the market, we just sit; they are not buying. Everybody is complaining,” Asabea said. She added that when customers cannot buy, traders are unable to move their businesses forward. Asabea appealed to Finance Minister Dr Cassiel Ato Forson to consider the pressure on households and traders in the 2027 Budget. She called for measures to improve the conditions for buying and selling, arguing that trading activity matters to the wider economy. She said businesses cannot expand or contribute fully to national development when customers lack the means to purchase goods. Her comments came ahead of the Budget presentation to Parliament, which the article said was scheduled for Thursday, November 12. Asabea expressed hope that the planned measures would ease financial pressure on ordinary Ghanaians and help revive activity in the market. The report portrays a trader worried that continuing low sales could leave sellers unable to sustain their businesses, while buyers themselves say limited funds are holding them back.