Street Hawking
TOPIC
A STUDY ON STREET HAWKING IN ACCRA: AN EVALUATION OF ITS POLICIES
INTRODUCTION
“A hawker is a person who offers goods for sale to the public without making a permanent built-up structure from which to sell” (Aseidu, et al 2008). For a very long time the activities of street hawkers have become a major phenomenon in developing countries and this seems to be very much acute in African countries from which the capital of Ghana is no exception.
It has been realized that, most of the populace who engage in this activity of hawking are poor migrants from the rural part of the country. Thus, the incidence of street hawking is underlined by the high level of poverty in the country especially its rural sector. Continuous increase in the number of school drop-outs and the high rate of unemployment cause these youth to migrate from their rural abode into the city in search of means of better livelihood. These youth, when they get to the city, realize however that it’s not as “milky” as they thought and as a result they end up on the streets.
Although, these migrants engage in hawking to make a better livelihood their activities have more negative effects on themselves and the nation. Thus, these vendors are exposed to the risk of potential accidents, loss of lives, abuse, crime and prostitution. Nationally, their activities retard the economic growth of the country. Thus, these hawkers most of which are not taxed in order to provide revenue for the government. Also, their activities results in both human and vehicular traffic which in a way tend to cause a reduction in the countries productivity. Thus, these traffics may lead to a reduction in the working hours of most production centers in the country.
The intense deliberation on this issue on most of the country’s news media has led to some interventions by the government, the policy makers like the Accra Metropolitan Assembly (AMA). These intervention programmes which includes the establishment of the
A STUDY ON STREET HAWKING IN ACCRA: AN EVALUATION OF ITS POLICIES
INTRODUCTION
“A hawker is a person who offers goods for sale to the public without making a permanent built-up structure from which to sell” (Aseidu, et al 2008). For a very long time the activities of street hawkers have become a major phenomenon in developing countries and this seems to be very much acute in African countries from which the capital of Ghana is no exception.
It has been realized that, most of the populace who engage in this activity of hawking are poor migrants from the rural part of the country. Thus, the incidence of street hawking is underlined by the high level of poverty in the country especially its rural sector. Continuous increase in the number of school drop-outs and the high rate of unemployment cause these youth to migrate from their rural abode into the city in search of means of better livelihood. These youth, when they get to the city, realize however that it’s not as “milky” as they thought and as a result they end up on the streets.
Although, these migrants engage in hawking to make a better livelihood their activities have more negative effects on themselves and the nation. Thus, these vendors are exposed to the risk of potential accidents, loss of lives, abuse, crime and prostitution. Nationally, their activities retard the economic growth of the country. Thus, these hawkers most of which are not taxed in order to provide revenue for the government. Also, their activities results in both human and vehicular traffic which in a way tend to cause a reduction in the countries productivity. Thus, these traffics may lead to a reduction in the working hours of most production centers in the country.
The intense deliberation on this issue on most of the country’s news media has led to some interventions by the government, the policy makers like the Accra Metropolitan Assembly (AMA). These intervention programmes which includes the establishment of the
References: Aseidu, A.B. & Agyei-Mensah, S. (2008). Traders on the run: Activities of street vendors in the Accra metropolitan area, Ghana. Norwegian Journal of Geography. GSMF International. (2003). Hawkers Empowerment Programs. 9 June 2009 <http://www.gsmf.com.gh/projects/HEP.htm> Ministry for Competitiveness & Communications, Malta. (2002). “Trading Licenses: Street Hawkers”. http://www.mcmp.gov.mt/commerce_trade06_d.asp. Obiri, D.D. (1996).”A Survey on Street Children”, Thesis submitted to ISSER for the award of Diploma in Statistics (unpublished). University of Ghana, Legon.