Flooded with goods, people, scents, sounds, hustle and bustle, the Makola Market is the best place to absorb the atmosphere of West African Market. You can get whatever you want. It is in the centre of the city and heavy traffic is always a scenery. Between 10am and 5pm, you cannot find an empty car park. Most of them are filled with hawkers, stalls and their wares.
It is quite an amazing place with lots of very narrow alley way and women walking about with huge bowls and other packages on their heads. It’s a good place to shop but very crowded at times.
At the Makola market, you can get what you need at a reasonable price. Here are what makes the Makola market unique.
- The Food
Almost every food can be found there. From livestock, to fresh foods to cooked meals, Makola market is your number one stop shop. What do you need? Is it aquatic food, fresh fruits? You just have to go and get it.
2. The Clothes
The Clothes that are sold at the Makola Market are usually second-hand referred locally as “Fos”. They are transported from other countries to Ghana. From China, London, US and even Togo where we get our popular Togo jeans. These clothes are very cheap. The least you can get is GHC 0.50ps for a shirt, Regardless, there are also boutique and store clothes that are costly. Yes, because as we said from the beginning, you can find everything at the Makola Market!
3. The People
Ghanaians are generally business, minded people. At the Makola Market, goods have relatively lower prices. You are able to Bargain and arrive at a cheaper price. Both sellers and buyers are friendly and strike a conversation.
4. The Head Porters (Kayayei) and Cart Pushers
Another feature of Ghana’s Market system is “kayayei”. These young girls who carry one’s load at a wage rate. The Cart Pushers; normally well-built men but don’t be surprised to see slim men doing this deadweight job. Everyone is trying to make ends meet. These cart pushers carry the loads of buyers on their carts. It is normal to hear these people scream ‘Agoo! Agoo!!’ to signal people to make way for them.
5. The Policemen and Market Wardens
These people are spotted at a vintage point in the market. They are there to maintain law and order and to ensure that people are not breaking the law and selling at unauthorized places. More often than not, we find police officers chasing market women who decide to sell at unauthorized places. They are made to either, pay a fine or their goods are confiscated. Because of this, whenever a policeman comes around, you find a lot of the sellers dispersing and screaming “Abayei! (A Ga term which means “they are coming”) to announce to the others that the policemen are around.
6. Night Selling
Because of the limited spaces at the market places. Some sellers and vendors come at night to sell. From 3am with the intention of closing by 6am to 7am. At this time, things are relatively cheap, since the sellers want to sell quickly and go. Most buyers, especially food vendors and grocery suppliers take advantage and shop in the market. So, if you are thinking of the best time to shop at cheaper prices, then it’s in the night.
7. The Cars Go Anywhere
Where are you heading? The vehicles at the Makola markets connects to everywhere in the country. North, South, East and West; These vehicles are ready to take you there at low fares.
Ghana is blessed with a lot of resources and places and one of them is obviously the Makola market.
Your Home of everything authentic and cheap.
