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Ladies reject our proposal, disrespect us… Coconut sellers at K’dua lament
Michael peeling coconut to sell
Coconut sellers in Koforidua are frustrated over the disdain and disrespectful manner customers, particularly young women, deal with them.
Despite playing a vital role in Ghana’s informal sector by providing fresh, nutritious, and affordable drinks, these vendors feel marginalised and belittled by virtue of their occupation.
The worst and painful of all was the blatant manner their proposals to female partners were rejected.
As a result, most of them are single although they are ready to settle down as family men.
In separate interviews with The Spectator, the coconut ‘business moguls’ called for a change in attitude and urged the public to treat them with the decorum and respect accorded to those in the formal jobs.
Michael Adansi, a coconut vendor, highlighted the importance of their service and noted that coconuts, known for their health benefits, offered a refreshing and energy-boosting option for many Ghanaians.
However, he lamented that customers often fail to appreciate the value of their work.
“Young ladies especially look down on us. We can’t even approach them for friendship or relationships because they disrespect us due to the nature of our work and our appearance,” he lamented.
Michael added that even when coconut sellers are fortunate enough to have relationships, they face judgment from their partner’s family once their profession was revealed.
“We endure long hours in difficult conditions, often travelling far to source the coconuts,” Michael revealed, but said despite these efforts, they get insults, dismissive behaviour, and aggressive haggling from customers, even though the coconuts are sold at reasonable prices.
Michael emphasised that they were just trying to earn an honest living and deserve to be respected as legitimate professionals.
Yaw Poku, another vendor, expressed similar frustrations, noting that many customers assume coconut sellers are uneducated or incapable of getting better jobs.
He explained that the stigmatisation was unfair, as many coconut sellers have degrees, diplomas, or are Senior High School graduates.
“They engage in this trade to provide for their families and should be respected for their efforts,” he said and added that, “what people don’t know is that coconut selling requires skills like entrepreneurship, marketing, and customer service,” Yaw added.
In addition to customer disrespect, coconut sellers also face harassment from authorities and market officials, he noted but stated they remained hopeful that by sharing their experiences, the public would come to appreciate their hard work and understand that the dignity of work should not be determined by the type of job, but by the effort and value one brings to the community.
When The Spectator interviewed customers on the issue, responses were varied.
Efua Ansah, a student from Koforidua Technical Institute, pointed out that some coconut sellers do not dress well or package their products properly, a situation she said may contribute to the lack of respect.
She emphasised the importance of hygiene and cleanliness in building customer trust.
However, another customer, Ernest Larbi, defended the sellers, noting that they work under harsh conditions.
“They’re selling in the hot sun in their working gear. It’s not easy, so why disrespect them?” he questioned.
The Eastern Regional Environmental and Health Officer, Mr Prince Kissi, acknowledged the issue and stated that his office was working on strategies to improve the situation.
They have recently designated areas for coconut sellers and are planning a stakeholders’ meeting to train them on better hygiene practices and product presentation, he revealed.
“We have advised them to put on aprons and ensure they dispose of coconut shells properly to enhance their public image,” he explained.
With these initiatives, he hoped that coconut sellers would gain the respect they were demanding and be recognised for their contributions to the community.
ODORGONNO Senior High School (SHS) has won the maiden 2026 Senior High School Plastic Waste Reuse Innovation Awards, organised among five SHSs in Accra to promote plastic waste recycling and reuse.
Odorgonno SHS received a cash prize of GH¢8,000 after securing 97 points. Accra Senior High School placed second with 96 points and received GH¢4,000, while O’Reilly SHS placed third with 90 points and received GH¢2,000.
Forces Senior High Technical School placed fourth with 83 points, while St John’s Grammar SHS came fifth with 72 points. Both schools received GH¢1,000 each as cash prizes.
Outstanding students from the participating school clubs were also recognised with gold medals and certificates. St John’s Grammar SHS received five plastic recovery cages as the school with the highest volume of recovered plastic waste.
The awards formed part of the CSIR-Institute of Industrial Research (CSIR-IIR) Schools Plastics Recovery Project, an initiative aimed at promoting plastic waste recovery, responsible environmental practices and the productive use of recovered materials.
The project included educational campaigns in all five participating schools, the provision of metal cages for plastic source segregation, an educational excursion to a Miniplast recycling factory and a plastics challenge that encouraged innovative reuse of plastic waste.
The Project Lead and Senior Research Scientist at CSIR-IIR, Dr Boniface Yeboah Antwi, said the project demonstrated how young people could become active contributors to solving Ghana’s environmental challenges while providing financial incentives to sustain their efforts.
He said when schools generated income from recovered materials, they could support the maintenance of collection infrastructure, reinforce responsible waste management and instil an entrepreneurial mindset in students.
Dr Antwi explained that within the first month, the participating schools recovered 1.5 tonnes, or 1,500 kilogrammes, of plastic waste—equivalent to the weight of approximately 15,000 one-litre water bottles.
He said the recovery generated GH¢2,000 in revenue for the schools, demonstrating that plastic waste could become a source of value rather than an environmental burden.
The Group Head of General Operations at OmniBSIC Bank, Mr Dominic Donkoh, urged the participating schools to sustain their plastic waste segregation, collection and sales activities.
He said the proceeds could support school environmental clubs and other worthwhile initiatives while providing students with practical lessons in saving, budgeting and responsible financial management.
“We encourage students to apply the financial literacy lessons acquired during this engagement. Learn to manage the proceeds from your recycling activities responsibly, appreciate the importance of saving, and explore innovative ways to create both environmental and financial value,” he added.
–GNA
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Parents have been urged to prioritise girls’ education over early marriage to protect them from losing their childhood, education and opportunities for a better future.
The Sekondi-Takoradi Metropolitan Girl Child Coordinator, Madam Margaret Blay, said child marriage disrupted girls’ education, threatened their health and well-being, and limited their ability to realise their full potential.
“Keep her in school, not in a man’s house,” she urged parents, stressing the need for families and communities to protect girls’ right to education and personal development.
She made the call in a welcome address at the 2026 celebration of the International Day of the Girl Child in the Sekondi-Takoradi Metropolis, held under the theme: “End Child Marriage and Invest in Girls’ Rights.”
Madam Blay said ending child marriage required collective action from parents, teachers, traditional leaders, government institutions and communities to ensure that girls were protected and given the opportunity to pursue their aspirations.
She noted that child marriage often forced girls out of school before they were physically, emotionally and socially prepared for the responsibilities associated with marriage.
She said investing in girls’ rights was not merely a moral obligation but also an investment in the future of communities and the nation.
According to her, girls who remained in school, had their voices heard and received the necessary support could grow into leaders, professionals, innovators and active contributors to national development.
Madam Blay called on teachers to protect girls’ access to education, create supportive learning environments and empower them to express themselves confidently.
She also appealed to traditional leaders to help address harmful cultural practices and social norms that denied girls opportunities to develop their potential.
The government and relevant institutions, she said, must strengthen the enforcement of child protection laws to ensure that every girl received adequate protection.
She further urged communities to speak out against child marriage, report cases and work together to create safe environments where girls could learn, grow and thrive.
Madam Blay said every girl deserved the freedom to dream, acquire an education and determine her own future.
She expressed the hope that the celebration would strengthen stakeholders’ collective resolve to end child marriage and invest in the rights, education and future of every girl.
Madam Karen Ama Moses, Assembly Member for the Takoradi Railway and Harbour Electoral Area, said keeping girls in school would lead to enlightened mothers, well-informed families, resilient communities and, ultimately, a better Ghana.
She stressed that no child should be forced into marriage, adding that “every child must have the freedom to learn, grow, dream and choose her future.”
Some of the schoolchildren expressed concern that their parents did not always listen to their concerns during difficult times, while others said some children were exposed to abuse and early marriage.
Madam Henrietta Quabu, the Metropolitan School Health Coordinator, urged children experiencing abuse or any situation that threatened their well-being to report to the police, the Department of Social Welfare, the media, their teachers or the Metropolitan Education Directorate for assistance.
— GNA
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