Local Market with International Content – the Story of “Kasoa Mamudu” of Nima

assorted cereals on display

People have been engaged in barter trade and the never-ending convergence of peoples globally to trade in goods and services to better their situation through the satisfaction of their diverse needs.

The exploits of Mamudu was therefore not an exception. In the early 1950s, Alhaji Mamudu, a Togolese national, was engaged in the trade of food items which he brought from Togo. Unknown to him, the centre of his activities, the Kasoa Mamudu (Mamudu’s market), was to take a centre-stage in the food distribution chain in Ghana and beyond. 

food items and spices 

The market is situated in Nima a suburb of Accra and the day for brisk business is Wednesday. The market host diverse economic activities that include but not limited to financial, transportation and porter services.

a typical market day with heavy human and vehicular traffic

Traders, mostly women, bring food items from all parts of the country and as far as Burkina Faso, Mali, Togo Niger, Benin, Nigeria and Ivory Coast. In serving their customers, this venture has been a great source of livelihood to the traders. The customer base of the traders transcends households to wholesalers, resellers, retailers, food vendors and institutions of State such as the security services and the school feeding programme under the Ministry of Education. Also, citizens from the sub-region come to the market to buy and sell wares. This local marketplace could be qualified for a microcosm of ECOWAS trade centre and a melting pot of nationals of the sub region.  

a trader vigilant over her goods

The success story of Mamudu’s Market, according to the Vice Chairman of the market, Maman Richard, would not be complete without highlighting some inherent challenges confronting traders. The pleas by the traders to the local authorities to improve the facility were unheeded despite the fact that the market has been a source of revenue for government through taxation.

In the face of the phenomenon of market fires in the country and other catastrophes, as well as harassments of traders by supposed landowners, the traders are thus appealing to the authorities to help forestall potential dangers to human lives and properties by reconstructing the market into modern facility. High tariff by the Custom Service is also a disincentive in addition to hindrance to the ECOWAS Protocol on free movement of goods and peoples of member countries.

Trucks arrived with wares waiting to be offloaded

The market serves institutions such as the security services, the school feeding programme, wholesalers and resellers. It is also source of livelihood for uncountable households scattered through the length and breadth of the country.