The relationship between credit system of buying and background characteristics of teachers in Accra,Ghana

Abstract The main purpose of the study was to investigate the relationship between credit buying of clothing and background characteristics of teachers in primary and junior secondary schools in Accra, Ghana. Frequency and percentage distributions were used to analyse data collected from 180 respondents. The hypotheses that there were no relationships between credit buying of clothing and age, educational background, household size, religion, ethnicity, marital status and gender were tested using the chi–square statistic at the 5% level of significance. The majority (75.6%) bought clothing on credit. A total of 66.2% were women and 33.8% were men. The respondents used credit because of poor salaries, for convenience and to meet emergencies. Traders (44.4%) or traders and customers together (29.5%) decided on the terms of payment. The open-account (39.4%) or instalment credit (36.2%) plans were used to honour payments. A total of 67.8% honoured their terms of payment. The traditional Kente cloth and fabrics for ‘Ntama and Kaba’ (slit and blouse), the traditional outfit for women, were mostly bought on credit from hawkers (58.3%). Accessories, undergarments and cosmetics were also credited by 33.8%, 16.9% and 7.3% respectively. Credit buying increased the number of clothing items of 73.3% of the respondents. There was a significant relationship between credit buying and gender but not between credit buying and age, religion, ethnicity, educational level, household size or marital status. The researchers suggest that a comprehensive study be carried out using representative samples from the 10 regions of Ghana to give an overall picture of the credit system of buying clothing among teachers in Ghana. A study of why Ghanaian consumers buy goods on credit could be carried out to determine whether the reasons for buying goods other than clothing are the same or are different.