Coffin sellers in Accra have stated that although low mortality was good for the country it was creating negative impact on their businesses as people were not buying their coffins.
“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”, Mr Agyekum Darkwah Junior, a coffin seller said at Korle-Bu hospital during an interview.
The survey which sought to ascertain how coffin production business was faring also revealed that, Fridays and Saturdays were major market days for the dealers.
Mr Darkwah Junior said his capital had been locked up since patronage was low last year adding that ‘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 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.
He argued that as investors they would continue to pray for business to boom and that coffin sellers were like other investors in the business sector.
“We do not cause the death of our fellow human beings. Death, whether by vehicular accidents or sickness is natural”, Mr Kwame Addai said.
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.
Akorli Samuel who deals in coffin making at Lapaz disclosed that he sold more than 30 coffins during the weekends.
The coffin dealer who had 16 years’ experience in the business explained that, mourners and families of bereaved families normally purchased the products on these days for burial ceremonies.
“People do not usually buy coffins and keep them ahead of burials. To some people, coffins are scary”, Mr Akorli noted.
He also encouraged the youth to embrace the venture and prayed for a soar in the business so as to make it very attractive.
“Parents should not discourage their children from entering the venture. It is truly a profitable one”, he said.
The interviews revealed that the price of a coffin ranged from GH¢ 300.00 to GH¢ 10,000.00 depending on the size and materials used.
