Ghana Month: Popular ‘Akyeke’ vendor in Sunyani urges Gov’t support

Miss Mariam Abubakari, a popular vendor of ‘Akyeke’, says the local Ivorian cuisine remains a lucrative venture and a significant source of livelihood for many indigenous women in Ghana. 

She has therefore appealed for government support as the nation marks the Ghana Heritage Month. 

She said with minimal government assistance, many unemployed young women could venture into the preparation and sale of the locally made dish to improve their socio‑economic well-being. 

In an interview with the Ghana News Agency (GNA) in Sunyani, Ms Abubakari, owner of “Mimi’s Akyeke”, a food joint located along the Sunyani-Zongo one-way road, said patronage for the meal remained encouraging. 

According to her, sales were particularly high during the dry season when preparation of the meal became easier. With some support from the government, she said she could expand her business, employ more hands and train interested young women. 

Ms Abubakari indicated that high interest rates discouraged her and other small‑scale vendors from accessing credit facilities. 

She therefore expressed hope that the government would expedite action on establishing the proposed Women’s Development Bank. 

The bank, she noted, would provide accessible financing, mentorship and business development support tailored to women-led enterprises. 

Akyeke 

‘Akyeke’, a locally prepared Ivorian cuisine, originates from an Ivorian dialect and refers to a cassava-based dish. 

Origin 

The meal is believed to have originated from the indigenes of Côte d’Ivoire and is commonly consumed in Sampa, a Ghana–Côte d’Ivoire border town in the Jaman North District of the Bono Region. 

Preparation 

Akyeke is prepared from cassava dough which is boiled in hot water. Ingredients typically used include ground green pepper mixed with onion, oil, salt and fish. 

While consumers previously preferred it with cabbage stew, many now enjoy it with vegetables, beans, eggs and salad. 

Others prefer it served with shito, ripe plantain, sauces, spring onions, carrots and roasted groundnuts. 

Nutritional value 

Checks show that ingredients such as groundnut, peas, pepper, onion, ginger and beans help boost the body’s immunity. 

They also reduce the risk of heart disease and cancers, aid in cell regeneration and improve digestion. 

Further checks indicate that the ingredients are beneficial to pregnant women and nursing mothers. 

Source: GNA