Independence day souvenirs no longer lucrative – Traders

Traders in the Accra Metropolis on Monday lamented over the low patronage of Ghana’s Independence day souvenirs in recent times.

In an interview with the Ghana News Agency, some traders said, the selling of customised books, caps, socks, paper flags, whistles, cups were very profitable some years backs but it is no longer selling these days.

They said, patrons no longer saw the need to purchase these souvenirs as they claimed the Independence Day celebrations had lost it relevance.

Miss Mirinda Kwakye a jewellery seller at Rawlings Park said, she made extra money during Ghana’s 50th Independence Day celebrations by selling customised key holders and necklace made with the colours of the national flag.

She noted that before and during the 50th Independence, buyers were very excited about the celebration, were ever ready to be dressed in the red, yellow, and green with the Black Star but it have not been the case this year.

Mrs Abigail Gyan, an underway seller at the Makola mall also said selling of items customised in the national colours was difficult and that initially teachers made it compulsory for students to wear socks that had the colours of the national flag on them. 

She called on authorities in the various schools to revive that policy as it was a way of imbibing the spirit of patriotism in the pupils and students, and teach them to be proud Ghanaian.

Mr Alfred Gbewonyo, a T-shirt and Cap seller at Makola attributed reduction in purchase of the souvenirs for the Independence Day celebration to the politicisation of almost every issue in the country.

He said, Independence Day celebration was supposed to be for all Ghanaians but people do not see the need to celebrate if their party is not in power.

Mr Gbewonyo said: “if Non-Ghanaians are celebrating our independence with us and we the people do not see the need to celebrate and show our beautiful colours to the world then Ghanaians we ought to be ashamed of ourselves”.

Source: GNA