Sunyani, March 24, 2024
Consumption of a palatable and Ghana-adopted Ivorian local dish, “Akyeke” is high in Sunyani, the Bono Regional capital.
As a result of its demand, the traditional dish is fetching jobs for some indigenous Ghanaian women in the region.
It is mostly preferred in the afternoon time.
As Ghana marks this year’s “Ghana Month Campaign”, a market survey conducted by newsmen in the regional capital reveals Akyeke has high consumption rate these days.
In their remarks, commercial drivers at the Chiraa lorry station in Sunyani and other consumers who have been enjoying the lunch of Akyeke told the media that “the dish is highly economical and enables us spend less on food, and help us save more as drivers”.
“It is not only my favourite traditional dish every afternoon, but, aside its nutritional values, I take a lot of water when I eat it and can sustain me till I go home in the evening”, one of them said on condition of anonymity.
Another driver, only by name Opoku quizzed “if you don’t go for Akyeke, what else do you think can survive you with GHC10 per day as a driver before you get something for your children school tomorrow”.
The Month of March is primarily use to celebrate Ghana’s cultural heritage, project Ghana’s indigenous food, products and services.
At a popular joint at the Chiraa lorry station, Amina Yusif, the vendor confirmed in an interview that the dish used to be mostly consumed by the unemployed and very low income class.
But, these days the dish is the favourite for employees, both in public and private sectors who mostly buy and consume between the hours of 1100 and 1500 hours of the day.
There were other vending joints of the dish in the Central Business Areas of the Sunyani City, all making good sales, she stated.
Interestingly, while conducting the interview, individuals, apprentices, drivers, some women from the Sunyani ‘Masom-masom’ market were in a queue to buy while people in offices were calling for reservation of theirs take-away packs.
Origin
Akyeke is Ivorian native dialect, meaning “casava food”, a famous dish in Sampa, the Jaman North District of the Bono region and its environs in Ghana.
Yusif explained “because Sampa is a neighbour community to Ivory Coast, Ghanaians in the area adopted its consumption”.
“I tried the business aspect of it and brought it to down to Sunyani”.
Preparation
Yusif said the dish is prepared from casava doe boiled with hot water.
It main ingredient are grinded green hot pepper mixed with onion, oil and salt, with fish.
To make the diet more delicious and enjoyable to even the first time consumer, Yusif said “we prepare salad, beans and cabbage stew with liver, shito (hot pepper sauce), boiled ripped plantain, boiled eggs, sausage, spring onion, carrot and some roasted groundnut.
Price
It is sold from GHC7 and above per package, depending on the order and choice of the consumer.
Nutritional values and health benefits
Aside being traditional dish, the groundnut, peas, pepper, onion, ginger, beans and other natural spicing ingredients used in preparing the food helps boost immunity and general growth of the body, Odei Joyce, a Registered Community Health Nurse told the media in a further interview.
She highlighted the ingredients reduce risk of heart disease, reduce risk of cancer and also helps in generation of new cells, improve digestion as well as support healthy pregnancies and breastfeeding.
Challenges
Yusif explained though sales were good, her daily income has reduced because of high prices of foodstuffs for some time now.
She emphasized prices of oil, fish, casava, a bag of charcoal and LP Gas is beyond her imagination.
Thefourlens.com
Writer’s email: ttchrietoph1@gmail.com
