Regional Report: Business booms for 'pure water' sellers in Bolgatanga, following hot season

Correspondence from Upper East:

The current hot weather condition in the Upper East Region is not the best of weather conditions, as many are complaining about the heat.

The situation on the other hand is creating business for people in the sale of sachet water and vulcanizers in the Bolgatanga market.

Ghanaweb's Upper East Regional correspondent, Sarah

Read full articleDubure, interacted with some 'pure water' sellers and vulcanizers in the Bolgatanga market.

A 'pure water' seller, Bintu Musah, disclosed that patronage was poor in previous months, but it took a positive turn in March and April. She explained that she could hardly sell mere three bags of water previously, but now, she sells as much as ten bags of water.

" At first, I would roam with three sachets (bags) of water, and it would never finish. As we are in April, business is good because people are always thirsty because of the weather. You can sell ten bags of water if the water is cold," She noted.

She however complained that because of the high demand, supply has also diminished.

"Now a lot of people want to buy the water and sell, so it is not there again. At first, anytime you called the producers to supply bags of water, they brought them very fast. The water was always there plenty. Now, when you call them, they will not mind and when you even go there, you will not get some. The water is not there like before because everybody wants water". She pointed.

Another 'pure water' seller in the Bolgatanga market, Mama Grace, also confirmed that patronage was very positive.

As of the time Ghanaweb visited her shed, all bags of sachet water were finished, with more people trooping in for more.

Madam Grace also said she sold iced sachet water(ice block) as there is high demand for it. She said her counterparts in the business bought from her, crushed them, and put them in their ice chests to keep their sachets of water constantly cold.

There were about six shea butter sellers seated behind her. She said they were also her regular customers. According to her, they bought the 'ice blocks, crushed them, and placed them on the light transparent rubbers they used in covering the mini calabashes which contained the shea butter, to prevent them from melting due to the heat.

"The business is really good, but immediately it starts to rain next month, it will not be good again," she said.



A vulcanizer, Mr. Randy Abiyan, explained that during the rainy season, the weather was cold so business was not good, but as the weather is hot, business has become better.

He explained that during this season, old mended punctures reopen due to the heat.

He also explained that people are always rushing to quickly get to their destination, due to the nature of the weather, and may not stop to properly check their motorbikes if they run over an object that could cause harm to their motorbikes.


He further said that during the rainy season, people are not mobile, as many stay at home to engage in farming and other agricultural activities, but during the hot season, a lot of people go to the market, and they ride motors there.

According to him, the more the motors, the more they get work to do because some will develop problems.