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Ground Peas Sellers/Informal Businesses -Who Benefits? | Print |  E-mail
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Features - People in Business
Written by JOAHANNA CEPHART   
Saturday, 16 April 2011 20:33
There are small economic activities carried out by ground peas sellers and other informal businesses which may seem to have no effect on the Liberian economy. In essence, these little businesses, even though they don’t pay taxes directly to government, but indirectly government is benefited since the results make an impact on the Liberian economy.

 

If these individuals are making their living on the daily sales of ground peas, and other informal sales, the economy is also pushed upward since these individuals are being self-employed and are sustaining themselves from this minute portion of income earned and the principal used to keep the businesses going.

In any instance, even if every one was qualified to work in offices, there will still be a need for the sale of unit production or sale from person to person. Some of these sellers remain at a particular location, while others are moving around striving to make a living. This seems better to do than sitting supinely waiting for someone to make a move or earn a living in an office and continue to support people who are doing nothing for sustainability.

 

In a given situation, everyone has a part to play in the growth of the economy since government and private sector cannot employ everyone. By the willingness of the people with a mind to grow from poverty, everyone has to be a part of the rebuilding process. There are many heads that depend on one head which means if the head does not move, many heads will suffer from starvation.

 

No matter how small or insignificant a business can be, it affects the growth of the economy because it helps alleviate the rate of poverty while goods are moved from producers to consumers. The sale of the product will depend on the taste of the commodity, and consumers will ask for the product once there is satisfaction from the many customers encountered by the sellers.

 

There are special customers who may have preference in the line of business and this gives these ground peas sellers and informal businesses a way forward by spotting their customers in terms of sales. It also depends on how much an individual may be able to sell if survival is dependent on this business from small income generated. Income earned makes it less expensive for a joint family income because this aids the income earned for the purchase of other commodities needed.

 

This business is considered as an individual going to work, even though it is not an office job, but earns daily living through the sale of goods and services. The hours spent on sales will justify income for the business as every business depends on promotion and sales for survival. It is however clear that, business owners know the only way income will flow is by pressing forward or working diligently.

 

These sellers who may be illiterate can sell their commodities and send children to school depending on the ability of the business and the availability of cash. Through the sale of these informal businesses, education can also become effective due to the fact that what little income is earned it is beneficial to the economy since funds are generated for tuition, medical, basic social services including food and transportation.

 

These informal sellers, as they may be considered, are making ends meet through their daily club savings and supporting their families, while at the same time maintaining the principle for continuity of their businesses.

 

Even though the impact may not be known by many, these informal businesses may not be recognized in whatever little impact is made on the Liberian economy, it may be realized that it helps reduce poverty and illiteracy.

 

From one family head, many may earn education thus reducing illiteracy rate, sensing that every drop in the bucket makes a mighty ocean. It is therefore clear that even the ground peas sellers have an impact on the economy while considered less important by some people in society.

 

There is a need to identify every line of business because a business seller can gradually grow into a smaller market, and later grow into a shop, then a store that will be recognized by the business community and form a part of the bigger businesses in a given time frame.

 

If these small businesses can produce educators, doctors, and nurses, even presidents, then, it becomes clear that business in its entirety, no matter the size, can also produce entrepreneurs well recognized in society.

 

In an interview with a few owners of these informal businesses, it is understood that they are supporting their children from the sale of their goods, who claimed that some of their children have graduated from high school and are attending the university maintaining that this is how they handle their responsibilities to families’ needs of basic social services.

 

From people interviewed, it was gathered that even though these sellers are not working in offices or have shops or stores, and they are not paying taxes to government but the government is benefiting from their sale since these little sales are reducing unemployment rate, poverty rate, most of all illiteracy rate.

 

It is also gathered that the illiterate sellers are making a great impact on the educational program as they see the results of literacy; they are making sure to send their children to school from what ever income is earned; even though they as parents did not do so at their early stage: not making use of opportunities.

The government needs to encourage even the illiterate to send their children to school as government will feel the burdens from the illiteracy rate since population growth is every body’s problem. The country is now bearing the burdens from these citizens because if not attended to, some, who may not have opportunities, will carry out acts not profitable to government and society in general.

 

People need to understand the effect of a household problem that moves into the community then to the society and finally to the government hanging onto the economy. These are societal problems that have to be considered with the greatest weight resting on the government.

 

While these little businesses are not paying taxes and are benefiting directly, they still play major role in society especially making an impact on the economy, with the little income earned to sustain their families from goods and services produced and consumed as informal businesses.

 

In an interview with some sellers, it was observed that even the literate are a part of the informal business and see this as a means of survival, for the time since they have to take care of their families from various perspectives. They see this as a way forward since real job opportunities are not yet available.

 

However, both government (formal job) and petit business (informal job) benefit from informal businesses, government is indirectly benefited due to self employment by these sellers, taking into consideration education, health, food, shelter and clothing and other basic social services provided thus making impact on the economy, while the sellers remain direct beneficiaries of income generated alleviating poverty and unemployment.

 

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