The Societal Significance of Informal Economics during the COVID-19 Pandemic in an African City
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Date
2023
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
International Journal of Social Quality
Abstract
The COVID-19 pandemic compelled many African countries to make decisions that lim ited livelihood choices. This article examines how informal traders (IT) in Kumasi, Ghana
responded to the COVID-19. It explores the livelihood capacities, socioeconomic, socio cultural, and sociopolitical values of informal economics. Using data from multiple sources,
the purchase and sale of personal protective equipment (PPE) emerged as the dominant
livelihood activity. The results show that IT innovated their way of trading, realigned liveli hood activities, and created cross-sectoral networks that enhanced social cohesion. The
emerging informal market catalyzed spin-off activities that linked values of the informal
sector to the public, distributing agencies, producing companies, and the government. We
argue that IT constitute a “natural” and “indispensable” share of Ghana’s urban economic,
cultural, and governance space. The values of IT expressed within and between these distinct
societal spheres should be amplified in the development discourses of countries like Ghana
Description
Research Article
Keywords
COVID-19, informal economics, intersectoral networks