Beer shortage in Ashanti Region during Christmas linked to NPP defeat

This year’s Christmas festivities in the Ashanti Region took an unexpected twist as a widespread shortage of mini club beer left many revelers scrambling to find a drink during the holiday celebrations.

Bar and pub operators in the region reported that mini club beer had not been arriving in the area for the past two months, causing frustration among patrons who found empty shelves instead of the popular beverage.

Accoriding to a 3News.com report, the shortage was especially severe in areas known for their lively nightlife, including Krofrom, Ashanti Bantama, Adum, Maxima, Asafo, and Kwadaso, where demand was particularly high.

While alcohol consumption typically rises during the festive season, this year’s demand for club beer was unusually high. Some residents, per the 3News.com report, particularly supporters of the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) and the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC), were believed to be celebrating or trying to forget the recent election results.

The NPP suffered significant losses in the December 7 presidential and parliamentary elections, with the NDC gaining ground in traditional NPP strongholds. Many NPP supporters seemed to use the celebrations as a way to cope with their post-election disappointment.

Some residents who spoke to 3News.com said they have never experienced anything like this in the region before.

Bar owners also expressed surprise at the situation. A bartender in Krofrom, Yaw Boateng, told 3News.com that the increase in demand was overwhelming.

We restocked several times, expecting the usual Christmas rush, but we were caught off guard this year. People were ordering crates at a time, and by Christmas Eve, there was nothing left to sell.

It seems like some people are celebrating, while others are trying to forget the pain.

Mini club beer, a well-known drink in Ghana, is brewed by the Accra Brewery Limited. Attempts to reach the company for comment on the shortage were unsuccessful. However, local distributors explained that supply chain issues, combined with the unexpected surge in demand, were contributing factors.

A local distributor said they didn’t get their full supply due to the shortage as quoted by the report:

We only received half of our usual December allocation. The trucks couldn’t keep up with orders from wholesalers and retailers.

Despite the difficulties, vendors have promised to better anticipate demand in the future, and customers are being urged to drink responsibly.

For now, the shortage of mini club beer has provided Kumasi residents with a memorable holiday story, where politics, celebration, and a beloved beverage all collided.

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