By Samuel Lartey (Prof.), [email protected]
The Makola Market in Accra is not merely a marketplace, it is an institution. For generations, it has been a central hub of commerce and livelihoods for Ghana’s ca pital city and beyond. At its heart lie the Ga Makola Queens, a group of influential market women who have played an instrumental role in shaping Ghana’s informal economy.
From the days of Kwame Nkrumah’s independence push to Jerry John Rawlings’ leadership, and even today, these women embody resilience, entrepreneurship, and social cohesion.
This feature explores the origins and evolution of these market queens, their business practices, and the profound socio-economic impact they continue to have in Accra’s informal sector.
Historical Antecedents: A Tradition of Trade and Influence
The Ga people, the indigenous group of Accra, have long been associated with trade and commerce. Situated on the coast, Accra was a vibrant trading post where local and foreign merchants exchanged goods.
Long before colonial intervention, Ga women were already active traders, exchanging salt, fish, and textiles with neighboring groups. Women held unique authority within their communities, commanding markets, managing food supplies, and playing central roles in social decision-making.
Makola Market, founded in the 1920s, became the nucleus of these economic activities. As colonial authorities increasingly restricted indigenous men from entering the formal economy, women naturally took charge of the informal sector. The Makola Queens emerged not just as traders but also as powerful negotiators and community leaders, ensuring their economic autonomy even under restrictive regimes.
Makola and Women in Business Under Kwame Nkrumah (1957-1966)
After Ghana’s independence in 1957, Kwame Nkrumah identified markets as crucial spaces for grassroots empowerment. Nkrumah viewed the informal sector, dominated by women as vital to economic growth. However, the relationship between market women and his government was complex.
Nkrumah sought to control and modernize the economy, introducing state-sponsored industries and cooperative organizations to formalize trade. While he lauded market women for their contribution, he also attempted to limit private monopolies over goods. This led to occasional tensions as some traders resisted the government’s efforts to regulate market prices and profit margins.
The market queens, however, adapted. They diversified their businesses, ventured into textile and food distribution, and built strong community networks to ensure business continuity. Their dominance in trading staples like fish, tomatoes, and imported cloth gave them leverage, allowing them to withstand economic disruptions.
During this era, the informal sector became a space where children, particularly girls, assisted their mothers. This early exposure to business life ensured that knowledge of trade was passed down, sustaining family enterprises for generations.
Resilience Under Rawlings: Surviving Structural Adjustment (1981-2000)
The informal sector faced unprecedented challenges under the military and later democratic regimes of Jerry John Rawlings. His tenure, especially during the 1980s, was marked by Ghana’s adoption of Structural Adjustment Programs (SAPs) sponsored by the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank. SAPs mandated severe economic reforms, removal of subsidies, devaluation of the cedi, and privatization of state enterprises.
The Makola Queens and the broader informal sector became the bedrock of survival for many Ghanaians during this turbulent period. As unemployment surged and formal industries collapsed, the informal sector absorbed a significant portion of the workforce. Makola Market thrived as the epicenter of petty trading, with women leading the charge in distributing essential goods, often imported from Nigeria and Togo.
Despite the removal of price controls and the fluctuations in foreign exchange, these women demonstrated resilience. Many employed dynamic business practices, including bulk purchasing, microfinancing within trade networks, and rotating savings schemes known as susu to expand their operations. The queens also leveraged informal networks to negotiate prices and stock imported goods amidst the rising cost of living.
Modern Makola: A Legacy of Adaptation and Innovation
In present-day Ghana, Makola Market continues to thrive, although it now faces new challenges, including urban redevelopment, competition from supermarkets, and the rise of e-commerce. Nevertheless, the market remains the lifeline of Accra’s informal economy. The Ga Makola Queens, though operating in a more competitive environment, have evolved with the times, embracing new technologies and business models.
Mobile banking and digital payment platforms, such as MTN Mobile Money, have significantly altered how transactions are conducted. Women who traditionally relied on cash now manage accounts on their phones, allowing for more secure and efficient trade. Additionally, social media platforms like WhatsApp and Facebook have become essential marketing tools for the queens, who advertise products and negotiate deals virtually.
Children remain actively involved in these businesses. In a tradition that has endured, young boys and girls accompany their parents to market, learning the art of negotiation and customer service. This early exposure continues to groom the next generation of traders, ensuring that family businesses survive.
The Impact of Makola on Ghana’s Informal Sector
The contributions of the Ga Makola Queens extend beyond the market itself. They have created jobs, driven economic growth, and served as social safety nets for their communities. By keeping essential goods in circulation during economic downturns, they have played a critical role in stabilizing the economy, especially during crises.
Moreover, the women of Makola have pioneered forms of self-governance within the market. They mediate disputes, set market rules, and often provide informal loans to struggling traders, fostering solidarity within their communities. During elections, politicians seek their endorsement, aware of their influence within both the market and the broader society.
Looking Ahead: Challenges and Opportunities
As Makola evolves, the queens face new challenges, such as competition from international retailers, shifting consumer preferences, and urban redevelopment projects that threaten to displace traditional markets. Government policies aimed at formalizing the informal sector have met mixed responses, as many traders prefer the flexibility of the informal economy.
However, the future also presents opportunities. With access to microfinance schemes, mobile technology, and entrepreneurial training, the market queens can expand their businesses beyond local markets. Their influence and adaptability suggest that, just as they have weathered colonial restrictions, post-independence reforms, and economic crises, the Ga Makola Queens will continue to shape Ghana’s informal economy in the years to come.
Conclusion
The Ga Makola Queens are more than market traders, they are the architects of an enduring informal economy that has supported Ghana’s development through both prosperity and hardship. From Nkrumah’s independence era to the transformative leadership of Rawlings, and now in the digital age, these women have demonstrated unparalleled adaptability and resilience.
Their role in driving the informal sector remains a testament to the power of grassroots entrepreneurship. As Accra continues to grow and modernize, the legacy of the Makola Queens will undoubtedly remain, symbolizing the indomitable spirit of Ghana’s informal economy.
In the end, Makola is not just a marketplace, it is a lifeline. And at the helm of this lifeline stand the Ga Makola Queens, guardians of trade, tradition, and transformation.
