The MOVING markets of Ghana...

...is the name Ara gave to the roadside hawkers. They're on every major road where there's a build-up of traffic - in between cars on the dual carriageway. Sometimes over 30 people on one section of the road, weaving in and out of traffic, including children and disabled persons crawling on the road begging or selling. I saw a little girl selling water, step into the road inches away from a huge truck looking for a little coin she'd dropped. I shouted at her to step back, but my voice didn't come out( I was that stunned) until the 3rd try. Fortunately she went back on the pavement. There have always been hawkers in Ghana, carrying their ware on their heads. You don't go to them,they come to you. It provided income for people allowing them to run their little businesses with no overheads and little start up. It used to be mainly women and children. And they'd have a route in certain areas plying their trade in schools, markets, homes, offices roadsides etc. Now it's a hazard! The danger is to both pedestrians and drivers. You can hardly change lanes whilst driving without some seller in the way. What's worse, it could be a child. They sell everything from water/food to furnishings/electricals. The Govt has tried repeatedly to get them off the streets. But what will they do instead? Some of these kids have to fend for themselves. Some of the women are raising kids single handed. Others are trying to put themselves through school. Many are simply trying to put some food on the table, risking their lives for a few pence.