Young Men on the Move to Polish Shoes in the Cape Coast Metropolis, Ghana

Abstract

In sub-Saharan Africa, young unemployed persons often migrate to the cities in search of employment, especially in the informal sector. This paper focuses on young migrants in the shoe-shine business which is common in Ghana but has attracted little or no research over the years. The study, which is guided by the migration networks theory and a conceptual framework on migration of young people to the urban informal sector, shows that the main motive for migrating is economic. There are migration networks which make it possible for new members to join the business. Most of the young migrants claim they have personally benefited from the business and are able to cater for their households better than before, while others have invested their earnings in various small projects at the places of origin, which has created some employment for others in the community. It is recommended that the government and the relevant stakeholders should occasionally organize entrepreneurship training for the shoe-shine operators to enable them operate effectively and sustain their business.