Some supermarkets and various shops in Ghana have begun selling hand sanitizers at outrageous prices following the announcement of some confirmed coronavirus (COVID-19) cases in the country.
With education around coronavirus in the country gaining the attention, citizens are advised to follow good personal hygiene rules including washing of hands and the use of sanitizers as and when necessary. This is a risk reduction and preventive measure to contracting the pandemic disease.
Various shops in Ghana have increased the prices of hand sanitizers by an astronomical margin of almost a hundred percent to a thousand percent (100% – 1000%) and over. For instance, hand sanitizers that were sold previously at about GH¢3.50 are now sold at GH¢75 or event GH¢80. (https://teamtapper.com)
The menace has; hence, spark various conversations on social media with people sharing their sentiments on how the prices of the products have been increased and how they are unable to purchase them.
Meanwhile, some traders have also shared that the products are on high demand and wholesale prices form producers have been increased. They claim they have no choice but to increase the prices to consumers.
However, information minister, Hon. Kojo Oppong Nkrumah has appealed to retailers of hand sanitizers against profiteering.
Ghana has recorded four more new cases of the novel coronavirus bringing the total number of confirmed cases in the country to six.
