Shortage of beer in the Upper West Region of Ghana has forced traders to spend hours at the depots in long queues to buy the beverage for retail in their various shops.
Reports say some restaurant, hotel, and bar operators have had to spend the night at beer depots to secure the “precious commodity.”
According to Myjoyonline.com, the situation has compelled the traders to increase the price per Club Beer bottle from GH¢5 to GH¢7 as most of them have to struggle to join long queues during the wee hours of the day at various depots.
The news outlet further reported a resident and owner of Dam View Bar, Diana Delle as saying that the shortage of beer and the attendant scramble for it has become unbearable for traders.
“I’ve been here since 5 am and I’ve still not gotten the drinks. The queue is too long. I’m even thirsty,” she lamented.
Traders from far and near could be seen in a video jostling for the beer at the depots in a survival of the fittest situation.
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A medical practitioner, Dr. Mwinisong Amos, who also owns a local drinking spot was also not left out of the situation.
He disclosed that the situation has become so critical that one can only have some of the beverage to buy with the help of an insider.
“Assuming you own a business from which you get your daily bread, and you come with 15 crates and you’re given two, where are you expected to get the rest from?” the frustrated medical practitioner asked.
While some people have speculated that the depot operators might be deliberately hoarding the beer for profiteering purposes, the salesmen debunk the allegations.
It is unclear if consumption of the beverage has increased so much during the yuletide resulting in the shortage or a different factor is responsible for the situation.
It is reported that the region has been experiencing the beer shortage for the past three weeks.
The Accra Breweries, the company that produces the club beer has no said anything yet about the shortage.
