Kantamanto Market

Formation

The market was formed in the 90's

The site is an important part of the informal economy of the city. At its peak it was the largest used clothes market in West Africa.

The site received increasing international attention after sustainable fashion activists and journalists identified the market as one of the main receivers of imported unusable used clothing in the fast fashion industry. Before the COVID-19 pandemic, 40% of the garments that enter the market and are sorted by traders get discarded into landfills. The market and its informal economy play an important role in the city's economy, and COVID-19 restrictions greatly harmed the trade in the city.

A December 2020 fire, which some reports suggest were set by real estate developers, decimated the market. Though some vendors tried to return to the site, developers announced in March 2021 that they are building a new shopping center at the site.

Market structure

There are over 30,000 traders in the market selling all kinds of wares from used clothing to food to car spare parts.

Fires

Due to the congested nature of the market, whenever there is a fire outbreak the damage is always extensive. With the destruction of goods and structures running into several thousands of cedis. There are no fire hydrants in the market making it almost impossible to refill fire tenders which run out of water during fires. This story is similar to other markets in the country such as Kotokoraba market, Market Circle and the Kejetia market. A fire outbreak occurred in the market on Tuesday, 19 April 2011. Another fire erupted in the market in May 2013.

As the market gets increasingly congested, many traders have aired concerns ranging from expansion works to be done; improved fire safety to prevention of ejection.

The Or Foundation found that a fire was deliberately set by real estate development firm set fire to part of the market in December 2020. The fire was part of a long series of fires at markets in Accra. And the site had experienced a fire 10 months before.

In January 2025, a fire destroyed a significant portion of the market, displacing hundreds of traders. After the fire to the market in January 2025 The Or Foundation donated one million Ghana Cedis to the rebuilding of the Kantamanto market.

Redevelopment

In March 2021, the real estate developer Golden Coast Developers announced a partnership with Kantamanto Traders Association and the Ministry of Railway as well as the Railway Development.

In culture

Artist Sel Kofiga documents the cloth trade in the market through upcycling and mixed media art projects. Samuel Oteng organizes a similar upcycling company.

The Or Foundation and artist/activist Liz Ricketts organized an anti-fashion waste art project called "Dead White Man's Clothes" to examine the waste created by the textile import trade.

References

References

1. Okoye, Victoria. "After Market Fire: Opportunity for Participatory Planning {{!}} Smart Cities Dive".
2. Heidger, Tara. "Fast fashion? No thanks. I care about our planet Earth.".
3. "The Horrifying True Cost Of Fashion Fashion".
4. (2022-01-06). "Used clothes choke both markets and environment in Ghana".
5. "Ghana's Used Clothing Market Falters as COVID Bans, Poverty Intersect".
6. "Fire guts parts of Kantamanto Market {{!}} Citi Newsroom".
7. (2020-12-16). "Kantamanto fire outbreak: We're not surprised, our market was set ablaze - Traders claim".
8. (April 20, 2011). "Fire destroys shops, wares at Kantamanto market".
9. (June 2015). "Exploring the realities of resilience: Case study of Kantamanto Market fire in Accra, Ghana". International Journal of Disaster Risk Reduction.
10. "Kantamanto traders appeal for suspension of ejection by the GRDA".
11. (2021-11-30). "How one community in Ghana is bearing the burden of the UK's clothing waste crisis -".
12. "Timeline of market fires for Ghana in 2020". BBC News Pidgin.
13. (2020-12-16). "Fire destroys Kantamanto market".
14. (2025-01-02). "Fire destroys Kantamanto Market, displaces hundreds of traders".
15. (2025-01-02). "Fire ravages Kantamanto market, several shops destroyed".
16. Effah, Evans. (2025-01-02). "Kantamanto Market Fire: Over 100 shops destroyed (Video)".
17. GNA. (2025-03-25). "The Or Foundation donates GHS 1m to support rebuilding of Kantamanto Market".
18. Ayamga, Emmanuel. (2020-12-20). "Kantamanto market to be redeveloped into modern shopping centre".
19. (2021-04-21). "This Is What Actually Happens To Your Donated Clothes".
20. (2021-02-16). "This Is Not Your Goldmine. This Is Our Mess.".
21. "A conversation with Liz Ricketts".