With Christmas just three days away, pedestrians and motorists, shoppers and hawkers are caught in big city traffic and pedestrian jams across the country.In Accra, all roads leading to the central business district (CBD) are choked with vehicular and human traffic. And it will remain so for the next few days as the pre-Christmas business hustle approaches its climax.But while such chaotic scenes are playing out in the CBD, traders are, strangely, lamenting what they describe as low sales, explaining that the thousands of shoppers on hand are daily window-shopping in anticipation of a last-minute reduction in prices.The Daily Graphic learnt at the CBD yesterday that the traffic situation had been made worse by the introduction of one-way routes by the Accra Metropolitan Assembly (AMA) because many drivers are not conversant with the new system and officials of the Motor Traffic and Transport Unit (MTTU) of the Police Service and the AMA had a hectic time controlling traffic.Members of the AMA task force were also in the thick of affairs chasing traders away from the streets. In the midst of the commotion, pickpockets plied their trade.One pick-pocket who attempted to rob a shopper in front of the Liberty House Branch of the Ghana Commercial Bank received the beating of his life from a group of young hawkers.During interactions with the Daily Graphic, some traders claimed sales were not too good for them because the street hawkers had taken away most of the customers.Among the goods in high demand are food items such as rice, oil, confectioneries, as well as clothes, especially children's wear, and shoes.Most of the traders said sales were better last year than this year.The traders said although the prices of goods generally remained the same, sales levels were not encouraging.Rose Asarebea, a children's shoes trader, said, "Even though my shoes are highly discounted, I only get people asking for the prices but hardly buy any."Rose, who said she left her bakery business to cash in on the Christmas festivities, said the AMA task force was making selling extremely difficult.However, at Kantamanto, a few of the second-hand clothes dealers said even though sales had been generally low over the past month, the week leading to Christmas had seen a sharp increase in demand for clothes."Beach wear has been in hot demand this week and I am capitalising on that to divert from the usual shoes and laces I sell," Mr Yaw Asare told the Daily Graphic.The only people not too enthused about sales were the butchers deep in the belly of Kantamanto."The market no good; I get plenty meat for here. My hope be say 24th make people buy for Christmas," Mr Mohammed Seidu, a butcher in the market, said in pidgin English.A poultry dealer who only gave his name as Sumaila said sales usually improved on December 23 because most people did not like buying the fowls ahead of time for fear that they might lose weight.Kwame Asare Boadu reports from Kumasi that imported second-hand clothes and shoes have been the hottest commodities on demand as pre-Christmas business activities heat up the tension in the centre of the city of Kumasi.With the prices of such goods meeting the pockets of the ordinary people, dealers are having a field day with sales.Along the streets, on the pavements and at the traditional "18" area where used clothing and shoes are sold, dealers maintained that business had been brisk since Saturday and hoped to reap more in the days leading to Christmas.That had been so because a number of people complained of the high cost of new clothes.While a slightly used pair of jeans cost an average of GHC5, a new one goes for GHCl5.In the same way, while a pair of slightly used shoes cost GHC15, a pair of importdf new'shoes cost (illc50. ,Consequently, trading activities at the used shoes selling joints appear more brisk.A man who was seen busily bargaining to purchase a number of items of clothing for his three children told the Daily Graphic that with just GHC3O, he was sure to get some quality clothing for the children.Traders who sold "already-made" clothing said the business had not been as brisk as expected.Ebenezer Obeng, who sold newly produced jeans and shirts, told the Daily Graphic that business was unusually slow.However, he was sure that activities would build up to expected heights from today.Food prices appeared to have appreciated a little compared to what pertained about a month ago.Three average tubers of yam went for GHC10, while the same quantity sold for GHC6 last month.Along the streets, anxious sellers and shoppers have taken over every inch of space, creating huge traffic jams as vehicles virtually crawl to their destinations.Overwhelmed by the huge number of people in the city centre, city guards and policemen have relaxed the decongesting exercise.Source: Daily Graphic