By Gifty Adunyah
In the wake of COVID-19, the wearing of face masks was made mandatory. This created an avenue for business, as most traders switched to selling face masks. In his 28th update on measures to curb the spread of Covid-19, President Akufo-Addo announced that wearing a face mask is no longer mandatory.
The non-compulsory measure, though a relief to the many who complained of breathing difficulties, spelled doom for the traders who at the peak of the pandemic, made money from the sale of face and nose masks.
Speaking to GBC News, Gifty Adunyah, some traders in the face mask business lamented that the directive has crippled their business.
“The selling of nose masks was very lucrative, especially in the early days of COVID-19. It created jobs for the unemployed and school dropouts. For some months now we have been experiencing low sales and now after Nana Addo’s new directive which says wearing a nose mask is no longer compulsory but dependent on the individual, we don’t know what our fate is”.
An aggrieved seller also said, “we brought in new goods a few days ago, what do we do, this directive came without notice. Ei Nana Addo you have really caused us pain”.
A businesswoman who branched to the selling of nose masks when sales were at its peak spoke of her plans of delving into another business’.
”I am observing things for a while, if things don’t get better I will have no option than to begin another trade”.