Proximate Spaces - The Rise of Informal Trade between Ghana and Togo

Abstract

The challenges that have come with the attainment of this independence remain a concern to myriad citizens of this continent. One of the challenges often cited as a crippling factor in the economic development of these “newly created” states is the overly centralised economy. Capital cities have become the domain of economic activity, leaving in the lurch peripheral areas such as towns around the borders and rural localities. The ruling elite, together with their trusted accomplices, continue unashamedly to benefi t from state resources while the rest of the populace remains destitute and povertystricken. Relying on evidence recently collated in the Afl ao Border between Ghana and Togo, and using social exchange theory as a guiding
theoretical framework, my task in this article is to probe contextual dynamics underpinning the interface between regional economic bodies such as ECOWAS; and informal trading networks which continue to claim a strategic role as the emerging economic powerhouse on the African continent.