Trading on-and-off the road: Experiences of Ghanaian informal cross border traders

Abstract

The impacts of globalisation with respect to the organisation of space and time have been phenomenal. Among others, globalization has provided the opportunity to trade across national frontiers by road or through the frictionless realms of cyberspace. Informal trade through cyberspace, including the use of the internet, mobile telephony, electronic transfers, and receipts of funds and electronic banking have become popular in recent times. This is also due to challenges associated with informal trade by road such as poor transport systems and delays associated with the numerous check points within the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) sub-region. Thus, informal trade through cyberspace offers both men and women traders the opportunity to circumvent challenges associated with trading by road. However, challenges with limited infrastructure, illiteracy vis-à-vis dominance of the English language in ICT usage, lack of access to cheap digital voice and data communication etc. may serve as impediments for these informal traders, especially women and keep them out of the benefits of globalization. This paper shares the experiences of Ghanaian men and women in informal cross-border trading within the ECOWAS. Using in-depth interviews, we examine whether men and women are taking advantage of these new ways of trading. Specifically, we map the different transportation routes that these men and women ply, the specific transport-related challenges that confront them, and how they are overcoming these challenges through the use of ICTs. The gendered differences have also been highlighted