Wheel barrow boys, the necessary evil in Tema

Tema, June 21, GNA - Some traders and buyers in the Tema Community One market have described wheel barrow load carriers operating in the market as necessary devils.

According to them even though they help in carrying their goods in and out of the market at a fee, they sometimes pose as a nuisance to smooth buying and selling.

Wheelbarrow load haulage is very prominent in Tema Community One market is the male version of the popular female head potters (kayayei).

Due to the lack of kayayei in Tema, traders rely on these men who cart their goods in wheelbarrows.

Miss Alice Kotey, a vegetable seller, told the Ghana News Agency that the operations of the load carriers made selling very difficult for them as they sometimes scattered their wares in their attempt to maneuver through lanes.

Miss Kotey said due to the overloading of the wheelbarrows, the slightest tilt of it during maneuvering, led to hitting and scattering of their wares.

She stated that she would prefer hiring the services of kayayei to carry loads in the market but unfortunately they do not exist in the Tema Community One market.

Aunty Abena Serwaa, a salted sun-dried tilapia (kobi) seller, on her part, said some of the load carriers in a bid to reach their destination in a hurry, due to the weight of the goods, push the wheelbarrows haphazardly hitting buyers without apologizing.

She added that they sometimes block the lanes, creating unnecessary queues in the market, this she said happens when two load carriers from opposite directions get into a headlong as each of them refuse to allow the other person to pass first while insulting each other.

Miss. Harriet Kitcher, a buyer, said even though their service was needed they were too impatient as they rush in a bid to make more rounds and money.

Miss Kitcher recounted how her dress got torn by one of the load carriers as he carelessly pushed the wheelbarrow which hooked and torn her dress.

Another buyer who gave her name as 'One Ghana', also complained of the negative effect of the load carriers stating however that the narrow lanes in the market could be the cause of these nuisances.

She therefore called on the Tema Metropolitan Assembly to put in measures that would ensure that traders desist from displaying their wares in front of their shops which tend to occupy parts of the lanes.

Mr Pinantaaba Saangat, Leader of the wheelbarrow load carriers, in Tema Community One market, debunked the claim that they were a nuisance to smooth operations for selling and buying.

According to Mr. Saangat, the wheelbarrow service was better than their female version, as they could carry larger volumes of goods such as sacks of fruits and vegetables than their counterparts who use head pans.

He added that, despite the narrow lanes which posed a challenge to their operations, a wheelbarrow load carrier make an average profit of between GHȼ20.00 and GHȼ50.00 daily based on service charges between one and five cedis.

Mr. Kwame Jemise, another load carrier, confirmed that they often got into misunderstanding with market women as the goods they were carrying occasionally fell off the wheelbarrow.

Mr. Daniel Tii, a wheelbarrow worker, on his part, explained that 'our work requires us to move fast due to the weight of the goods we most often carry, this way, we limit the amount of stress we put on our bodies.'

Mr Tii added that apart from charting the goods, they also help store owners and market women to pack and unpack their wares at an agreed amount either daily, weekly, or monthly.

GNA

By Laudia Sawer / Benjamin Apeke, GNA