Some traders at the scene
Tension flared at the busy PZ area in the Kumasi Central Business District on Wednesday, April 15, after a disagreement over the price of sachet water escalated into a near fight between a young retailer and some traders.
Eyewitnesses say the incident began when a trader called the sachet water seller, believed to be in her 20s, to make a purchase but was informed that the price per sachet had increased from GH₵0.50 to GH₵ 0.70.
The new price did not go down well with some traders, who reportedly accused the retailer of cheating and verbally attacked her. The situation quickly intensified as the seller responded angrily, drawing a crowd of onlookers and passengers to the scene.
Personnel of the Kumasi Metro Guards from the Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly (KMA), who were present nearby, intervened promptly to restore calm and prevent the situation from turning violent.
The price increment follows a recent recommendation by the National Association of Sachet and Packaged Water Producers (NASPAWAP), which proposed an upward adjustment in response to rising production costs.
Although the Ministry of Trade, Agribusiness and Industry has since engaged producers in a bid to halt the nationwide price increase, some retailers have already begun adjusting their prices to cushion their profit margins.
Currently, the price of a bag of sachet water has increased from GH₵10.00 to GH₵13.00, a development that continues to generate concern among consumers and traders alike.
FROM David Afum, Kumasi