Exploring the Strategies of Head Porters (Kayaye) in Coping with their Low Socio-Economic Background in the Greater Accra Region, Ghana: A Case Study of Kayaye at the Makola Market Accra

Abstract

The 2019 Migration Report of the International Organization for Migration (IOM) indicates that movement of persons from one destination to another is widely recognized as an important characteristic of modern-day developing economies. Although, it takes numerous forms such as internal migration, which is the movement of persons within the same country, and international migration which is the movement of people from one country to another. Evidence shows that in the past two decades about 272 million international migrants has been recorded globally, estimated to be about 3.5% of the global population and that this phenomenon is witnessing a rapid pace of urban population concentration in especially the developing countries of which Ghana is no exception. Consequently, in recent times, a new dominant north-south migration has emerged involving females moving independently from their families to urban centers like Accra and Kumasi; especially into leading market centers in Southern Ghana. This study deployed in-depth interviews and observation methods to collect data on the challenges facing female migrant porters from the northern parts of Ghana as well as the strategies they have to adopt in dealing with the challenges. Findings revealed that female porters had low socio-economic backgrounds that turn to expose them to vulnerabilities. Also, it is revealed that, as a result of their vulnerabilities, they have adopted innovative ways of mitigating against their challenges. This study recommends the incorporation of challenges that are peculiar to female porters into migration policies in order to be able to address the issue effectively. It recommends further that, intensive education on the difficulties that exits in urban centers should be provided for the female migrants and those intending to migrate to empower themselves in terms of migration decision-making.