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Abstract
Literature on truck pushers stereotype these boys as social misfits, criminals and nuisance to society; often regarded as creating streetism. Much consideration has not been given to their contribution to the economy as well as what motivates these boys to go into truck pushing. This chapter outlines research with 30 (20 current and 10 former) truck pushers, 5 customers who patronised the services of the truck pushers were interviewed for their views on the services of the truck pushers. Finally, 5 kayayei (female head porters) at the market were interviewed to find out if the presence of kayayei in the market has affected the business of the truck pushers.
The study found that the services provided by truck pushers especially to petty traders and other shoppers were indispensable because they provide cheap, readily available and customised service. Due to poor urban planning and deplorable road networks in Ghana, many areas are not accessible by motorised transport, hand pushed trucks have become the most useful and efficient means of transporting goods from the markets to bus terminals and on some occasions to customers' homes and shops. The chapter argues that non-motorised transport to the informal sector cannot be over-emphasised; therefore truck pushers should be seen as bridging a gap in urban transportation, instead of the social misfit label attached to them.
Introduction
The number of children and young people engaged in income generating activities for their survival and that of their families continue to increase in developing countries. A survey of street youth in the Accra metropolis in Ghana indicated that the growth of street children was 41% annually (Ministry of Employment and Social Welfare, 1998). The report expressed fear that by the middle of the twenty first century the situation would be alarming. Several factors have accounted for the increasing number of youth and children on the street. The most important factor probably could be attributed to economic constraints. The low-income level of the average Ghanaian and the high cost of living does not enable some families to adequately provide their dependents with necessities such as education, good healthcare, food and other basic needs for survival.
As a result, many young people have found it expedient to supplement their family income by...