Traders in Tarkwa, a key mining town in the Western Region have expressed worry over the increasing economic hardship in the country, saying the situation was adversely affecting their businesses.

According to the traders, the venture has become difficult since patronage of their wares continues to dwindle, thereby pushing them out of business.

They believe that a change in government would help to make their trading more profitable.

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Sharing their concerns with Vice Presidential Candidate of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Prof Naana Jane Opoku-Agyemang, who visited the Tarkwa Market as part of her tour of the region, the traders said they look forward to the NDC’s incentives for small scale enterprises to expand their businesses.

“The economy is not good. There is no money in the system so people are not buying,” said a kitchenware retailer at the market, Maame Afua Afful.

A foodstuff seller and one of the leaders in the market, Gladys Asiamah, said, “Sometimes we sit here the whole day without people coming to buy our items.”

In addition, a leader of the butchers group, Abdul Razak Krurag, expressed his support for the NDC, indicating that the butchers group has been neglected by the government.

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“They promised to support our business, but we haven’t seen them again since they won power.

“We want the NDC to come and change our situation,” he said.

Prof. Opoku-Agyemang, responding to their concerns, promised them improved livelihoods through profitable trading under the NDC administration.

The Running Mate, who arrived in the market to a rousing welcome, with some of the market women spreading their cloth on the floor for her to walk on, amidst cheers of “Maame! Ooo den dey Maame! Oooo den day!” said their concerns have been catered for in the NDC’s manifesto, and therefore urged them to vote massively for the party to return to government to fix the broken economy.