Coffin sellers in Ghana say low deaths affected their sales in 2016

mortality affected their businesses in 2016. In an interview conducted by Ghana News Agency (GNA), to find out how some businesses fared in 2016. The sellers expressed their views on their sales for the year with one of them blaming it on low deaths. Mr Agyekum Darkwah Junior, a coffin seller at the Korle-Bu hospital, said:

‘Much as we are not praying for people to die, I must also confess that our livelihood is derived from the number of coffins we sell in the year. The market was not good last year as the nation recorded low deaths compared to previous years. My only prayer is to get more buyers for my beautifully crafted caskets so as to make my investments fruitful this year. I have employed more than eight carpenters so if the market goes low, I would not be able to remunerate them.’ he said.

Stephen Kwame Addai, a coffin shop owner at Kaneshie, however, dismissed the notion that the business was quite ‘diabolic one’ as it thrived on more deaths.

‘We do not cause the death of our fellow human beings. Death, whether by vehicular accidents or sickness is natural.’

Emmanuel Abankwaa who works on coffins at Dansoman meanwhile said, the business was a legitimate source of income, as such, a growth in it was very necessary.

‘We are not saying people should die but if they die, we cannot give them life but can only help to facilitate their burial,’ he said. While Akorli Samuel who deals in coffin production at Lapaz said that the business is ‘Truly Profitable’.

‘People do not usually buy coffins and keep them ahead of burials. To some people, coffins are scary. Parents should not discourage their children from entering the venture. It is truly a profitable one’.