Traders of white clay also known as ‘Ayilor’ in Ga or ‘Shilay’ in Twi are making huge sales.
It is not clear what is accounting for the increase in sales but patrons claim that ayilor helps cure diarrhoea, nausea, stomach upset and pregnancy related issues.
Ayilor has been around for some time.
Even though medical practitioners are yet to know its nutritional value, ayilor is consumed by many.
Apart from those who eat it, makeup artist also use it for facial treatment.
Traditional rulers also have various needs for ayilor during festivals and other traditional occasions.
A visit to the Malllam Atta market here in Accra revealed that business is booming for ayilor traders.
Ivy Yakuma is 50 year old ayilor trader who supplies them in bulk to retailers. She testifies that the business is booming.
“I have been in this business for a very long time. I buy in bulk from the Volta region and sell to retailers here in Accra. Business is extremely good especially during Homowo seasons. There is demand for it throughout the year. People buy it for newborns, funerals and a host of others. It is really a booming business. ”
The story is no different at Salaga market in Accra.
Doris Tagoe and Isaac Nii Amu are traders in ayilor and they say they keep recording good sales.
So in an attempt to know why sales is soaring, I spotted a patron and she says, “My cravings for Ayilor is because of its health benefits. It will quickly relieve you of all the pain when you have stomach ache.”
Ayilor is mined in the depths of the earth and contains chemical elements such as aluminum, arsenic, bouriun and nickel.
It is mostly mined in parts of the Volta Region, especially Anfoega, where the freshly mined clayey soil is molded into lumps, oven-baked and distributed to markets across Ghana.
For some people it is a desert they cannot go without.
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