The Christmas festivities are gradually shaping up in the Ashanti regional capital, Kumasi, with many revellers readying themselves to relish the holidays.

But some traders in Ghana’s second-largest city are lamenting low sales days before the season sets in.

They attribute the slow market to the electoral loss that befell their beloved political party, the New Patriotic Party (NPP), which boasts of the Ashanti region as its stronghold.

Days into the 2024 general elections, the Ashanti region’s capital buzzed with excitement from its youth.

They had found a new toy gun and vuvuzela craze to prep them for the Christmas festivities.

A few days after the December 7 polls, there’s a mixed euphoria in the Garden City ahead of the Yuletide.

The region, known as the stronghold of the NPP was in anticipation of a victory to celebrate the season.

“We are celebrating regardless of the outcome of the elections,” Don One, a phone repairer at the PZ lane at the CBD said.

At the Central Business District (CBD) of Kumasi, traders argue the NPP’s overwhelming defeat is impacting sales.

Traders who are into the sale of Christmas accessories like toys, hats, spectacles and fireworks, are recording dwindling profits ahead of the holidays.

“Before the elections, the market was good. But now, you barely can break even. If the elections had gone in favour of the NPP, the market would have boomed,” Joy, a trader at Adum, said.

Although economic activities seem slow in this part of the country, it is not stopping people from relishing the moment.

“We must celebrate because God has been good. I will really enjoy this Christmas. We will be chewing chicken and visiting the mall,” Adwubi, who was buying some Christmas accessories for her children, said.

What’s Christmas without some lighting and decorations on various medians and roundabouts to light the mood for the festivities?

The airport roundabout in Kumasi, has in the past years, been decorated with lighting accessories for the Christmas and New Year holidays.

The beautiful set-up has served as a place for rekindling love and family ties.

People troop to this beautiful scenery to make some memories through photos.

With only a phone against the nice background and a smiling face, they make lasting memories.

“I came here to take photos because the place is nicely decorated. I will be partying all through until December 28,” Mubarak Yussif, who was spotted at the place taking photos, said.