Vendors at the University of Ghana’s Bush Canteen have reported a drop in sales and fear that the recent ban on social gatherings, following a resurgence of COVID-19 cases on campus, will further affect their businesses.
This follows a communiqué from the Health Services Directorate of the University of Ghana, which alerted the university community to newly recorded COVID-19 cases and prompted the reactivation of safety protocols to curb further spread.
In an interview with Univers Business, several vendors have expressed concern about the impact of the recent resurgence of COVID-19 cases on their livelihoods.
According to the vendors, the canteen serves not just as a place to buy food, but also as a vibrant social space on campus. With the new restrictions in place, they believe students may be less likely to gather or dine there.
“Actually, the news about the COVID-19 resurgence is going to affect our business a lot,” one vendor shared.
“Even yesterday, we started feeling the impact. The number of people who usually troop in here to buy food has dropped. It’s serious, and we’re really worried.”
“Most definitely, the resurgence will affect our business. We all remember how 2020 went. As a food vendor, I’ll be heavily affected. Not every student can afford to order food for delivery. I even paid for a stand at the Limann Hall Week celebration, which has now been suspended. I don’t know if we’ll be refunded,” a third vendor lamented.
“The situation is troubling because patronage is already going down. Since the canteen is seen as a social spot, people may avoid it out of fear. So yes, it’s definitely going to affect us and our sales,” another vendor shared.
However, vendors are still hopeful that the situation will improve soon but are bracing for further economic strain should restrictions tighten or student movement continue to drop.
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Story by Sandra Abena Bansah | Univers News
Edited by Cindy Selasi Humade
