In the early hours of January 3, 2025, a devastating fire swept through Accra’s Kantamanto Market, one of Ghana’s largest hubs for second-hand clothing, commonly known as thrift. The market, a critical lifeline for low-income individuals, middle-class consumers, and retail vendors, suffered extensive damage, leaving vendors and customers reeling from the aftermath.
The fire destroyed a significant portion of the market, triggering fears of price hikes due to the resultant shortage of thrift goods. Many vendors lost their entire stock, creating a ripple effect on the availability and cost of second-hand clothing.
“Because parts of Kantamanto are burnt, the vendors here are inflating their prices,” lamented Priscilla Boateng, a customer.
Online thrift vendors have also expressed concerns about the early impact of the disaster. “When we heard that Kanta is burnt, we started making assumptions that they will inflate their prices, but we didn’t expect it to be this early,” said Doreen Fasemkye, a thrift vendor.
While some vendors dismissed the notion of immediate price increases, they acknowledged that a surge is inevitable as they struggle to replenish their stock. “Sales aren’t as good as before. We haven’t increased our prices. We will decide on an increment when we go for our next set of goods,” explained Micheal Gyasi, a thrift wholesaler.
Isaac Esiwu, another wholesaler, expressed the uncertainty surrounding the future supply of thrift clothing. “People are really devastated, and this is the remains of my goods, but we can’t tell when thrift will be in abundance,” he shared.
Chairman of the Used Clothes Association, Michael Oppong, admitted that there is little that can be done in the immediate term but remained hopeful about recovery. “We are beseeching the thrift importers to reduce the prices on the goods being imported so that the traders can easily buy,” he pleaded.
As vendors and consumers grapple with the crisis, the Kantamanto fire highlights the fragility of the second-hand clothing industry and its far-reaching impact on livelihoods in Ghana.
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Fafa Melody Kportufe
