At least four people collapsed while the Ghana National Fire Service sprayed fresh water on a sea of people in the central business district of Accra as shoppers made a last-minute dash for Christmas purchases yesterday.
At Okaishie, shoppers largely moved toe to toe, the slow motion defining the hectic human traffic that has characterised this year’s Christmas shopping experience.
Amid the congestion, the Ghana National Fire Service deployed fire engines to spray water on the teeming crowd to cool temperatures.
The congestion built up over several hours, with four people collapsing in the process, a situation that disrupted trading activities across the CMB, Okaishie and Makola areas, as pedestrians and vehicular movement slowed significantly.
Vehicles appeared locked up and stranded in the area for long periods, while shoppers struggled to navigate through the narrow market paths.
The dense human traffic affected access to shops and stalls, forcing some traders to temporarily abandon their spaces to avoid accidents.
Others struggled to protect their goods as movement became increasingly restricted under the intense heat.
From Kumasi, thousands of shoppers across the Ashanti Region and beyond have besieged the Kumasi metropolis to buy essential items to celebrate the Christmas and New Year festivities.
Shoppers, some from the northern part of the country, have stormed Kumasi to purchase food items and other personal effects for the occasion.
Since October, the entire central business district of the metropolis has been taken over by shoppers.
Safety concerns
Traders in Accra raised concerns over the lack of effective crowd control systems, despite the proximity of security agencies within the market enclave.
Passengers scrambling for scarce vehicle seats
A yam seller at the CMB, who asked to remain anonymous, said the situation persisted for over an hour without police intervention.
“The police station is just here, but the policemen won’t help us.
This place got congested more than an hour ago, with people collapsing, and no one was helping us,” the trader lamented.
“People have left their goods and items because of the congestion.
If not for the Fire Service, a lot of people would have died aside from collapsing,” she added.
The trader called for urgent action and appealed for better coordination among state agencies during festive seasons.
Despite the heavy human presence, some traders described business as slow.
At the Makola Market, a shop owner, Comfort Asamoah, said many shoppers were only making enquiries without committing to purchases.
“The market is slow this Christmas season.
There are a lot of people in town, but they are not buying anything,” she said.
Mixed price experiences
Some shoppers, who spoke to the Daily Graphic, shared varied experiences regarding prices of goods in the market, with some noting stability in foodstuff prices and increases in prices of clothing.
Peace, a shopper at the Central Market, said prices of food items such as tomatoes, onions and other vegetables had remained relatively stable compared to last year, indicating that they were receiving better quantities for the same prices.
“If you bought tomatoes for GH¢10 last year, you got more for the same amount this year,” she said.
She, however, observed that the congestion created anxiety among shoppers, forcing many to rush through their purchases.
“Because of the congestion and the emergencies, people are in a hurry to leave town,” she said.
Another shopper, Esther Johnson, also said prices varied across different categories of goods.
“Not all prices have been reduced. Some items have had their prices increased, especially clothing,” she said.
Kumasi scenario
Given the uncertainty that surrounded last year’s Christmas and New Year’s celebrations as tensions over the general election loomed over the country, this year’s shopping is an entirely different one, as people are busy shopping.
Traders in Kumasi say business is booming, with shoppers busily buying food and “Christmas items” such as clothes, shoes and other paraphernalia as the peak of the festivities approaches.
Christmas shopping
With days to Christmas, some traders have moved out onto the streets to cash in on the season’s sales.
A seller of various brands of four-kilogramme and five-kilogramme of rice said “the price is now reduced. It is selling for GH¢60”.
She said business had been good as she was able to sell at least 10 of the four-kg mini-bags of rice by the close of the day.
“Last year, we had to wait for the election to be over. People came out to shop after the peaceful election.
This year has been smooth as people are buying without any difficulty,” one of the traders said.
A shopper, Joana Asamoah, welcomed the price reduction in rice and cooking oil, saying, “I am very happy about the reduction in the prices of these two items since they are mostly consumed during these seasons. Indeed, this is a relief to me”.
Temporary trading locations
As a result of increased commercial activities, the Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly (KMA) has approved temporary trading locations for the Christmas season.
In a statement dated December 12, 2025, the KMA informed the public that the decision followed stakeholder engagement between the Kumasi City Market and the leadership of the trade unions at Kejetia.
It said areas which were previously not designated for trading had now been opened from Monday, December 15, 2025, to Thursday, January 15, 2026, to accommodate the increased commercial activity associated with the Yuletide.
The KMA management emphasised that all walkways, along with the 14 gates and entrances, remained strictly prohibited for trading to ensure the free movement of shoppers and to maintain safety within the market.
Traffic congestion, unapproved fares
The Kejetia and Adum enclaves have been characterised by huge human and vehicular traffic, with shoppers enduring long periods in traffic.
Traders and shoppers within the central business district have no option but to face the traffic, whether they are entering or leaving the commercial area.
A typical example is the traffic from the Bekwai roundabout through the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital (KATH) roundabout to Kejetia. Commuters en route to Kejetia are compelled to alight at the KATH roundabout and make the rest of the journey on foot to the Kejetia Market due to the heavy traffic situation.
As early as 10 a.m., some shoppers at the Kejetia Market said they were in a hurry to leave the area since any further delay would mean they would struggle to get home.
Commercial vehicle operators have taken advantage of the heavy traffic situation to charge unapproved fares.
For instance, although the fare from Kejetia to Sofoline is GH¢3.50, some drivers charge GH¢5.
Similarly, some drivers charge as high as GH¢20 from Kejetia to Abuakwa, although the approved fare is GH¢5.50.
Improved security
Spelling out the security arrangements during the period, the Ashanti Regional Police Commander, Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCOP) Arthur Osei Akoto, said that over 1,000 police personnel, both in uniform and plain clothes, had been deployed to manage traffic and gather intelligence.
He indicated that the service was ready to protect lives and also ensure that residents went about their normal duties within the period with ease, saying, “We have mapped out a strategy to deal with the traffic situation and improve general security as well”.
On December 31, during Watch Night church services, he announced that all churches would be provided with security, accompanied by the deployment of special teams to prevent break-ins by criminals within all communities.
“As we speak now, we have adequate power to meet demand, even though demand is rising. We do not want to wait for demand to surpass supply, which is why we are consistently planning to add more reliable generation capacity,” he said.
