As travellers approach the Yamoransa junction on the Accra–Cape Coast highway, rows of neatly arranged wooden tables lined with colourful kenkey wrapped in rubber and plantain leaves catch the eye.
Each table bears a boldly painted name — Adiza, Kuukua, Grace, Mary, Aba Yaa, Rose, Fatima and others — identifying individual sellers whose livelihoods depend on the steady flow of motorists and passengers along the busy stretch.
The scene, bathed in the bright coastal sun, reflects a familiar feature of Ghana’s highway commerce, where local food vending intersects with long-distance travel.
From passing vehicles, stacks of blue, green and purple-wrapped kenkey line the gentle curve of the asphalt road, signalling an inviting stop for quick nourishment.
One of the sellers, Kuukua, told the Ghana News Agency (GNA) that the names painted on the tables corresponded to the women selling at each stand.
She explained that branding the tables had become necessary due to the growing number of kenkey sellers operating at the junction.
“Initially, we did not label our tables, but now many people sell kenkey here. Sometimes a buyer goes elsewhere, and if the kenkey is not good, they return and say they bought it from us. The names help to protect our work,” she said.
Kuukua said a pack of five balls of kenkey sold for GH¢30, while two packs were offered at a discounted price of GH¢50.
She explained that two main types of Fante kenkey were sold at the junction — one prepared with rubber wrapped around the dough before the plantain leaves, and the other without rubber.
According to her, the rubber-wrapped kenkey lasted longer and could remain fresh for more than a week without moulding, making it more popular among travellers, while the non-rubber version spoilt within a few days.
The sellers explained that the colours of the wraps also served as identifiers, with green-wrapped kenkey indicating no rubber inside, and blue-wrapped kenkey signifying the rubber-wrapped variety.
Kuukua told the GNA that she had been selling kenkey since childhood, having inherited the trade from her mother, while her sister handled the preparation at home.
She noted that Saturdays were particularly busy, as many travellers passed through Yamoransa for funerals, weddings and other social events.
The sellers also highlighted the differences between Fante kenkey and Ga kenkey, noting that Fante kenkey was generally sweeter.
They explained that Fante kenkey was prepared from corn dough fermented for about a day after milling, unlike Ga kenkey, which required fermentation for at least three days and was traditionally wrapped in corn husks.
Beyond food sales, the roadside kenkey tables at Yamoransa reflect intergenerational livelihoods, culinary heritage and the resilience of the informal economy that continues to sustain many Ghanaian women along major transport corridors.