Vendors of food and other wares associated with the Christmas cele­bration have expressed surprise at the low patronage despite the increased number of visitors to some of the ma­jor markets across the capital.

Four days to the celebration(Christ­mas), the markets are filled with vari­ous products ranging from food, cloth­ing, livestock and many other stuff, but according to the vendors, patrons are doing more ‘window’ shopping.

The Spectator on visits to some of the markets in the capital, notably the Odawna, Makola, Accra Central Business District, New Town and others made similar observations as shoppers crowd them but did little in terms of purchases.

The paper also observed that ma­jority of vendors, originally selling other wares have switched to product related to the festive season.

 What it means is that there are a lot more clothes, food and vege­tables, livestock and poultry, toys, firecrackers, drinks of different types and many others on display.

The markets have also stretched to the pedestrian pavement, leaving very nar­row spaces for commuters to move about freely.

That, in addition to a few of the female vendors dressed in coloured attires to reflect the occasion, has heightened the euphoria, leaving the low sales as the only headache for the vendors.

Speaking with this paper, they sounded very optimistic, believing that sales would improve in the last few days to the yule­tide.

According to them, there was the oppor­tunity to sell beyond Christmas as the New Year celebration offers similar opportunity to trade the same wares.

They urged patrons to throng the mar­kets to shop since prices were quite mod­erate and products affordable for all.

 Retired Deputy Editor of The Spec­tator, Elder John Ackom-Asante, was last Sunday honoured by the Church of Pentecost Windy Hills District in Kasoa in the Central Region, with a retirement thanksgiv­ing service, after serving for 26 year as an Elder of the church.

He was honoured with a citation and certif­icate of service along with three other elders who served in the capacity for various years.

Elder Ackom-Asante was baptised at the Darkuman Central Assembly in 1979 and or­dained as an Elder in 1997.

The citation read “Your selfless service, zeal, willingness to relate wholeheartedly and your desire to effect change has gone a long way to shape the lives of many people in the church and the nation over the 26 years of your dedication to the service of the Lord.”

Elder Ackom- Asante held many positions at the Darkuman Central Assembly, Obuasi in the Ashanti Region and Tema, serving in various capacities as youth and evange­lism ministry lead­er and marriage counsellor.

He was the founding member of the Darkuman Christian Fellowship, a member of the Greater Accra Chris­tian Fellowship; member of Bible Society of Ghana; founding member Obuasi Chapter Full Gospel Busi­nessmen Fellowship Interna­tional and founding member of New Times Corporation Christian Fellowship and Chaplain, Methodist Universi­ty Tema Campus 2009- 2010.

As a professional journal­ist, Elder Ackom-Asante com­bined effectively and effi­ciently his duty as a member and elder of the church and the demands of his profes­sion, with admiration from the church, kith and kin, till his retirement on December

 From Alhaji Salifu Abdul-Rahaman, Kasoa