Before the sun even came up on Saturday, thousands of excited shoppers rushed to the Amanokrom Durbar Grounds. They turned the peaceful Akuapem hills into a lively festival filled with bright colors, tasty food, and lots of fun! This was the third time the Ofie Market happened, and it’s quickly becoming a popular way to help farmers sell their goods without wasting food or paying extra to middlemen.
Organizers believe that more than 10,000 people showed up, making it the biggest event since the market started just three months ago!
The Ofie Market started during the 2024 election campaign when Sammi Awuku, who is now a Member of Parliament, promised to create a place where farmers could sell their products directly to buyers. This way, they wouldn’t have to deal with middlemen, and they could earn more money for their hard work.
- **Ofie Market 1.0 (March 2025)**: The first market had 500 farmers and 300 “market queens” at the Amanokrom Community Centre Park. They sold all kinds of goodies like garden eggs, cassava, dried fish, and handmade crafts. People loved it so much that many items sold out quickly!
- **Ofie Market 2.0 (April 26, 2025)**: Even a rainy day couldn’t stop the fun! Shoppers and sellers danced in the rain, and once again, everything sold out before noon. One vendor said, “It was wet and wonderful!”
This Saturday’s market was so big that it filled up the Durbar Grounds! There were stalls overflowing with delicious ripe plantains, juicy citrus fruits, palm oil, and shea products. Drummers, dancers, and enthusiastic young volunteers made sure everyone was having a great time while keeping things organized.
“This is our market. This is our power,” said Akua Donkor, a tomato farmer, after selling all her goods at prices she set herself.
Farmers are excited because they are making up to 30% more money by selling directly to customers instead of going through middlemen. Local transport services have also noticed more people traveling from Accra and Koforidua to join in the fun on weekends.
The organizers are working on getting support for cold storage, mobile markets, and small loans to help even more farmers reach customers.
“Ofie Market is no longer just a project; it’s here to stay!” Awuku told the happy traders, hinting that there will be more markets every few months in the area. Local leaders have praised the market, calling it “a blessing to the land and the people.”
As the sun set over Amanokrom, maize farmer Yaw Owusu shared his excitement: “Ofie Market is our future – and we’re just getting started!”