Agbogbloshie Market
Agbogbloshie Market
Agbogbloshie Market is a market in the Korle-Klottey Municipal District and a member of the Greater Accra Markets Association (GAMA).
The Agbogbloshie Market, located in Accra, Ghana, is one of the country’s largest and busiest trading centers, primarily known as a major hub for traditional foodstuffs and, more infamously, as one of the world’s largest sites for informal e-waste recycling.
Traditional Market Hub
Agbogbloshie is an essential part of Accra’s food supply chain, with nearly 80 percent of the city’s food vendors sourcing their goods there. Key aspects include:
- Products: The market is renowned for its vast selection of local farm products, including northern grains, spices, vegetables, yams, and plantains.
- Economy: The market is a vibrant economic hub for a large community, including many economic migrants from northern Ghana.
- Governance: Commodity-trading associations, often led by women, play a significant role in the market’s informal governance systems.
E-Waste Recycling Site
Adjacent to the food market is the scrap metal and e-waste recycling area, often nicknamed “Sodom and Gomorrah”. This site has gained international notoriety due to the nature of its operations and the severe environmental consequences:
- Process: Workers, often young adults using minimal protective equipment, manually disassemble electronic devices and burn off plastic casings from wires to recover valuable metals like copper.
- Environmental Impact: The open burning releases toxic chemicals, heavy metals (such as lead, mercury, and arsenic), and persistent organic pollutants into the air, soil, and nearby Odawna river. This has led environmental groups like Greenpeace to label it one of the most toxic places on earth.
- Health Risks: The toxic environment exposes workers and nearby residents to significant health hazards, including respiratory diseases and lead poisoning.
- Innovation: Despite the challenges, the site is also viewed by some as a hub of innovation where a community of recyclers transforms waste into livelihoods, highlighting the need for safer, more sustainable solutions.
Current Status and Future Plans
The Agbogbloshie market faces ongoing challenges related to sanitation, traffic, and public health.
- Enforcement: The Accra Metropolitan Assembly (AMA) regularly conducts cleanup exercises and enforces sanitation by-laws, fining traders for selling in unauthorized locations and obstructing drains.
- Redevelopment: Plans have been unveiled by the Ga Mantse, King Tackie Teiko Tsuru II, to redevelop Agbogbloshie into a modern market complex with 100,000 stalls, aiming to improve conditions and regulate activities.
The Agbogbloshie Market sells a wide array of items, primarily consisting of traditional Ghanaian foodstuffs, local farm produce, and second-hand electronic goods/scrap metal.
Foodstuffs and Agricultural Produce
The market is Ghana’s largest traditional foodstuff market and a major source of ingredients for many of Accra’s households and vendors. The goods available include:
- Grains and Spices: A vast array of authentic northern grains and aromatic spices essential for local cuisine.
- Vegetables and Fruits: Various fresh vegetables (like lettuce, cabbage, spring onions, and tomatoes) and fruits are sold.
- Tubers and Starches: Staples such as yams, plantains, cassava, and cocoyam.
- Proteins: Items like fresh and dry fish, and potentially live chicken, can be found.
- Other Goods: Some vendors also offer household products.
E-Waste and Scrap Metal
Adjacent to the food market is the notorious e-waste and scrap metal area (sometimes referred to as “Sodom and Gomorrah” or the scrap market).
- Materials: Workers collect and process discarded electronic appliances and scrap metal, including auto scrap.
- Recovered Metals: Valuable metals like copper and aluminum are recovered and sold for income. The area is known as one of the world’s largest informal e-waste recycling sites.
Credit: Greater Accra Markets Association (GAMA)
President: (Manye) Mercy Afrowa Needjan
Chief Markets Queen Mother (GAMA)
Market Queen Mother’s & Executives.
Established:1961