THE COCONUT SELLER

                            

As part of my quest to review the hardships average Ghanaians face in making a living in Accra, I caught up with this coconut seller in his late twenties, Edward; A.K.A 'Incubator', who hails from Gyankoboo  in the central region of Ghana. He has lived in Accra for over 22 years. He has a fiancee that he has a two year child with her. He told me that he dropped out from senior high school as a result of his stubbornness.
'Coconuts are one of the wonder foods on earth that amply provides for all human needs and have multiple health benefits......... They can even save your life. Published studies in medical journals show that coconut, in one form or another, may provide a wide range of heart benefits. Because of its strong antioxidant properties and health benefits, the coconuts can be used to improve cholesterol ratio, thus, reducing risk of heart disease. It also improves digestion and absorption of other nutrients including vitamines, minerals, and amino acids. Further, it also kills bacteria that cause ulcers, throat infections, urinary tract infections, gum disease and cavities, pneumonia, gonorrhea, and other diseases' (Google search, health benefits of coconut).
'Incubator', as he is affectionately called by some of his customers started selling coconut when he was in junior high school. He has been in the business for over 10 years. On daily basis, he sells 150 Ghana cedis. Out of this sale, he makes a profit of 30 cedis. He also pays 5 cedis each for the coconut rubbish to be collected, and the truck he hires to sell his coconut.
Since every work has its occupational hazards and challenges, coconut selling is no exception. He told me that the work is stressful but lucrative. It is the only work that he does to look after his mother, fiancee and child as well as himself. He confided in me that officers from Accra Metropolitan Assembly (AMA) have made his work difficult. He lamented that sometimes he has to give the officers some money before he is allowed to sell at a particular place. Further, he accounted that more often than not, he experiences headache as a result of being in the scorching sun to sell. In addition, Edward nicked himself while peeling a coconut for a customer of which I witnessed.
Everyday, some average Ghanaians complain that the cost of living in Accra is very hard. With Edward, the cost of living in Accra is better than that in the village. As he rightly put it, 'here in Accra, if you work hard, you will get money to cater for your basic needs.' He however appealed to government to provide more jobs for them to be employed.

                                                            Video; 'Incubator', happily serving his customer!      

TRAFFIC HAWKING AND THE RISKS INVOLVED

Image: Traffic hawkers busily in the middle of the highway: Accra

  Accra, the capital of Ghana, has become the commercial hub of many citizenry as well as foreigners, such as Nigerians among others. These people in the quest for making a living for their family and themselves embrace (any) work they find, of which traffic hawking is no exception. Users of the highways are bound to see some of the city's mobile vendors greeting motorists and passengers with their goods and wares: pushing them into your vehicle and sometimes begging you to buy them. Any time I observe these traffic hawkers, I remember the adage that 'the struggle of man indeed begins at birth. Since a journey of thousand miles begins with a step, could you please journey with me as I review traffic hawking and the risks involved in the city.
Presently, it is common to see children and elderly between the ages of 10 and 56 meandering through the traffic with their can drinks, sachet water(s), newspapers, among others on the highways all in the name of making a living. Some of these mobile sellers begin their business from Monday to Friday. They come as early as five o'clock in the morning and close six o'clock in the evening. Once the weather is favourable for selling, praise is given to their Creator and work starts immediately until the body calls for a break.
 A soft drinks vendor disclosed to me that on daily basis, especially when business is peak, he makes  10 Ghana cedis profit. This vendor hails from the northern region of Ghana. He has come to Accra to seek greener pasture and his fate has employed him in this traffic hawking business. I read from the face of him that traffic hawking is one of the tedious and riskiest job that one can do in the city. But what can he do? He has not got the money for his preferred work: fittering, hence, depends on this work for survival.
Another traffic hawker, Yaw, who also comes from the northern region told me that indeed the economic condition in the city is 'very hard'. He sells mobile phone credits or units. He makes 15 Ghana cedis when business booms. He considers 10 Ghana cedis as a 'bad market'. This young man of 22 years of age rents a plywood kiosk in Accra. He pays 15 Ghana cedis monthly to the kiosk's owner. He does not have light in the it and to worsen his plight, the roof leaks so when it rains he manages to sleep. I asked him if the traffic hawking business is lucrative, he answered; ' hmm..... this work!, I do not have money that is why I am doing this work, if I get money I will stop and look for a good one. In fact, traffic hawking is dangerous!'.
Hawking on the highways of Accra is dangerous. The risk of accidents are inevitable. According to the National Road Safety Commission (NRSC), about 1600 people die annually in Ghana through road traffic crashes. At least four persons are reported killed in road traffic crashes daily. In 2009, five hawkers were killed in road traffic crashes, whilst 2012 and 2013 have recorded eight and six killed hawkers respectively. Traffic hawking tend to disrupt free flow of traffic on the roads, which endangers hawkers' lives. In spite of this, hawkers contend that the harsh economic situation in the capital has kept them on the dangerous highways. They appealed to government to create more jobs for average people like them to also get employed. Traffic hawking is risky, hence, hawkers must be careful in the quest for making a living for their family and themselves in Accra!

                                                                                 Video:Mobile sellers on the busy main road; Accra

                                                                                                                         

AN ENCOUNTER WITH THE INSECTICIDES SELLER

One thing that is obvious to many of us is that people are not equal in society. Some people are rich and others are poor; but some are not very rich but respected. Some are said to be born into rich homes so personal goals are easier to achieve, others have struggled to be what they are today. Some people too may struggle so much but would not make it. Come with me as I explore the struggle that one of the many average Ghanaians goes through before he makes a living for his family and himself in Accra, the capital of Ghana.  
   
It was exactly one o'clock in the afternoon when I alighted at the commercial hub of the city, Accra. The sun was scorching as if it had a bone to pick with someone. Immediately, I spotted this man, who will be in his thirties with a hat in the piercing rays of the sun selling his insecticides and rodenticides products. Suddenly, I understood that 'if life were not hard to live, the chicken would cover its rectum with a red bandana'.

When I reached at where he sells his products, no customer was there yet to buy some.  Thinking that he would be annoyed and ignored me if I had asked his permission to interview him, I unwillingly purchased a product. After I had bought it, then the door opened to me freely to enter to undertake my assignment without fear and panic.

The name of this average Ghanaian who sells insecticides to make a living is called Ablorh. He is married with three children,who are schooling. He has lived in Accra for over 15 years and he has been in the insecticides business for five years. Selling insecticides products is the only work that he does to cater for his family and himself. Precious insecticides spray liquid, Atia insecticides powder, AK 47 insecticides spray and mouse and rat glue traps are the names of some of the products he sells.
He told me that the cost of living in Accra is very difficult. From rent, through transportation, school fees and medication to food. In the front side of his modified tricycle on which he sells his products is a Bible quotation: Job 5:8, which says that 'But as for me, I would seek God, and to God I would commit my cause'. According to Ablorh, that Bible quotation keeps him going when the going gets tough.