MILLS' DEATH AND BUSINESS

MILLS’ DEATH BRINGS BUSINESSES TO A STANSTILL

  
By: Mohammed Awal

The death of the president of Ghana, Mr. John Evans Atta Mills, has brought a great negative effect on small scale businesses.

The sad event which occurred yesterday brought a huge reduction in sales of products. Some traders at the Lapaz transport station upon hearing the news about the death of the president raised alarm and caused panic resulting in closure of various shops.

His Excellency President, John Evans Fiifi Attah Mills died yesterday at the 37 Military Hospital whilst receiving medical attention after he was taken ill, a statement released from the presidency confirmed.

He died from cardiac failure. The president is reported to have been battling with throat cancer for some time now.

As at yesterday brisk trading has stalled and many shops owners were seen still discussing the tragic incident of the president.

“The death of the president was a great shock to me” said a trader. According to her, she had her shop opened earlier yesterday morning but patronage was very poor. “I guess I need to close and go home” she asserted.

“Clearly, the passing away of the president has plunged the nation into a state of mourning” observed another trader at Lapaz.

Another trader who could not hold his breath about the sudden demise of the president, complained bitterly about how the incident was impacting negatively on her business.

“The atmosphere was that of mourning, sadness and grief” she pointed out.

She told The Chronicle how wrong she was by opening her shop. She therefore prayed to God to have mercy and receive Mr. Mills in his bosom, adding “May his soul rest in peace.”

One recharge card retailer who pleaded anonymity also narrated to The Chronicle, how he was forced to close his shop due to low patronage by customers following the announcement of the president’s death.

According to the traders, immediately the announcement of the president’s death became public,, businesses partially came to a stand still and therefore considered to open their shops the following day. But to their dismay, things never got better as they thought.

One trader who refused to be named, told The Chronicle that, as of  13:20 GMT, less than five people had visited her shop.

The story was not different when The Chronicle visited Kwame Nkrumah Circle to assess how businesses were going on there.

A frozen foods seller, who only gave her name as Mrs. Gifty, said “since the death of the president, I have received very few customers unlike previous days.”

A section of the traders were seen dressed in black attire to mourn the death of the late president Mr. John Evans Atta mills.

Another trader who was in a sad mood expressed the hope that things will change in the coming days.

In an interview with one cosmetic dealer, Madam Mercy, she said “business has been same even as the president is dead; the demise has not changed the face of sales as such. It used to be same even before his death.”