Vendors of national flags at the Kwame Nkrumah Circle in Accra say they sold more Ghanaian flags in 2025 than they did in 2024 because of institutional patronage.
According to them, the national flag saw steady sales largely from hotels, fuel stations, garages, drinking spots, eateries and other institutions which hoisted the national colours on their premises.
They told The Mirror in Accra last Tuesday that the Israeli flag, which was a staple of one-man prophetic churches ahead of crossover services, did not sell as it used to.
The flag of Israel is often mounted along with other flags as symbols of divine direction for the coming year.
Patrons believe that mounting the flag got them closer to seeing their prophesies fulfilled and brought them closer to “God’s people”.
Israel flag left behind
A flag seller at the Circle, Mr Thomas Boateng, who has been in the trade for seven years, told The Mirror that traditionally, their “cocoa season,” for the sale of the flag of Israel was between December 30 and the first week of January.
He said large stocks of the flags of Israel remained unsold, an unusual development for the end-of-year.
“Almost every prophetic church would mount the Israel flag for the new year. If they were buying American flags, they would definitely add that of Israel. But this time, they bought other countries and left Israel. Our Israel stocks are still here,” he said.
Another vendor, Mr Charles Okra, said the shift was noticeable and puzzling.
“We don’t know why they didn’t buy Israel flag. When they come, they buy two flags and leave out Israel. Maybe the season has changed, or people are now looking at what is happening in a country before deciding whether to patronise its flag,” he observed.
Poor 31st-night sales
The usual rush for miniature flags dubbed “flag akwankyerɛ”, ahead of December 31 was also absent. A number of sellers described the December 31 business as generally poor compared to previous years.
Mr Boateng noted that in 2024, flags of Canada and the United States of America dominated sales, with that of South Africa being the least patronised.
He said purchases for the year were mixed, making it difficult to identify a leading country flag.
“Unlike previous years when the US flag dominated, this time people bought different countries. You can’t point to one country as leading,” he said.
‘Flag akwankyerƐ’
The practice of buying flags for church services, known as “Flag akwankyer3” during that time of the year, involves the use of miniature flags representing countries of choice and it is believed to offer better prospects for Ghanaians seeking opportunities abroad.
It is organised by many prophetic churches on December 31.
Scarce American flags
In 2024, The Mirror reported that the American flag became scarce, with merchants at the Kwame Nkrumah Circle informing The Mirror that they had run out of stock.
Meanwhile, flags of countries such as Canada, Britain, England, Australia, Scotland and other European nations were readily available.
Another seller, Ekow Assan, who has sold flags for 12 years, added that African country flags such as Libya, Algeria, Egypt, and Morocco hardly attracted buyers and often resulted in losses for traders, with Ghana, Nigeria and South Africa remaining the most patronised African flags.
Ghana flag still undervalued
Despite the relative improvement in Ghana flag sales, many traders expressed concern that Ghanaians still undervalued their national symbol.
Mr Boateng recalled an incident in which a taxi driver attempted to use the Ghana flag to clean his car, nearly provoking mob action.
“People were asking him why he would use the flag like that. That shows the flag is important, but we still don’t use it enough,” he said.
He stressed that Ghana@60 was a turning point for flag sales, noting that during that period, flags were difficult to find due to high demand.
“From that major event, we haven’t really promoted the use of the Ghana flag again. National events should encourage people to raise flags in their homes,” he added.
Call for national initiatives
Mr Boateng urged the government to introduce initiatives that promote the use of the national flag, suggesting that public holidays such as Constitution Day should be marked by nationwide flag hoisting.
“With the World Cup ahead, people should patronise our flags. Every Ghanaian should have the country’s symbol in their room or home to feel proud,” he said.
He said the flags sold between GH¢60 and GH¢200 depending on size, adding that traders could make flags of any country on request.
Traders’ association
The Chairman of the Awudome Flag Traders Association in Accra, Mr Odame Nsiah, confirmed to The Mirror that initiatives such as Ghana@60 significantly boosted sales of flags and Ghana-branded apparel.
He called for increased media campaigns to encourage citizens to wear Ghanaian artefacts and raise the national flag on public holidays.
He expressed concern that some schools no longer patronised Ghana flags.
“It is surprising that a whole school bus will come here and none will buy a Ghana flag but rather patronise foreign country flags. Are the children not living in Ghana?” he queried.
Mr Nsiah also raised concerns about their operating space, noting that uncertainty over eviction by city authorities had affected sales.
“We should be allowed to stay here. The beauty of the arrangement of flags attracts buyers,” he said.
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Source:
www.graphic.com.gh