...is a billboard of Voice of America, which has been broadcasting in Accra since 2005. It is sitting right against the backdrop of some of the greenery in the capital I like to refer to, especially that of the Tetteh-Quarshie interchange.
"The Cedi House, one of a handful of "story buildings," as high-rises are called here, in downtown Accra. The Stock Exchange is on the fifth floor, and trading happens three times per week, from around 9 a.m. to around noon, if there is enough activity to keep it running that long."...The Ghana Stock Exchange is reputed to be one of the best in Africa...
let's face it: this is the picture that I LOVE best.
Can you see that taxi at the petrol station? This picture is less about that car, and more about the almost-picturesque view of East Legon, precisely where the A&C Shopping Mall is located. Isn't that sky beautiful?
To the left of this picture is the second building being erected for the A&C Mall.
I truly do believe that greenery in the capital is something to be cherished, and something that many city-dwellers, and commuters might take for granted--irrespective of the culture you're coming from. I've been blessed and priviledged to be surrounded by greenery almost my whole life, and I often do forget how beneficial it can be to the soul, if yo're into all that esoteric stuff.
...whilst here, also in East Legon, this greenery -- as exemplified by the tree -- is in front of someone's house.
Most amusing are the billy goats that feed on this greenery in the capital...for good measure! You can continue to fret or accept scenes like these...till tourists start pouring into the capital from February 2007 onwards for the celebration of 50 years of Ghana's independence:-))
I was not amused...with a face looking like that, wouldn't I be advised to go visit the doctor?
Nothing gives me more joy than seeing this sign on the now-"famous" Tetteh-Quarshie interchange in the capital on a holiday, because I know I am some hours away from leaving the capital behind to go somewhere like Ghana's Central Region--as we did last Friday.
We passed this sign, which I captured just to remind you about the illogicality of establishing a shopping mall, with cinema, restaurants, whatnot, in the corner of a heavy-traffic area! But there you have it: the South African and other foreign investors are keen to show Ghana as the "gateway" to the ECOWAS region, and the government is keen to follow suit, so any logic goes out the 
This is the real reason why these pictures are here. After our brief visit to the central region of Ghana, and in particular, my maternal grandmother's home, we were stopped by police conducting random checks on the highway on a Sunday! It was a smooth affair, but what I found most enjoyable was the line of plam trees (they are actually coconut trees) lined on both right and left sides of the highway that leads to Accra.
You remember the famous A&C Shopping mall, that I have posted on before here? Well I caught this picture enumerating Phase II, which would comprise the following:
Meanwhile, Mass Metro Transport man had, some a minute or so earlier, checked to see how full the bus was, and whether people were ok, I guess. This was clearly against a backdrop of heavy Tetteh-Quarshie interchange traffic. That traffic behind him is going not just to Spintex road, but the University of Legon area, where there are suburbs beyond the campus, called Adenta, and Madina, to name but two areas.
Come with me...
...anyone for a Ghanaian salad?;-) It includes boiled eggs, and baked beans...
Yes. I do believe that if you're a regular visitor, you have already seen this picture, or something like it here. Trumpets blow, pls. It's the so-called "Ghana-India Kofi Annan ICT Centre of Excellence". A cumbersome title indeed, and a cumbersome URL, to boot!: http://www.aiti-kace.com.gh Truth be told, however, it is the sub-region of West Africa's quintessential ICT Centre, with state-of-the-art computers, and a place, where there is regular ICT hub-bub-ing, of sorts;-)
Here is the entrance into the building. You first have to go through a narrow gate (I guess to register your presence, 'cos when you don't, a man hisses at you (classic call to strangers in Ghana) motioning you to pass through). I took this picture yesterday as I made the intrepid step to attend the open "seminar" on "e-media". On the panel were reputed journalists from Ghana's local scene (you can check out the names here) in radio, newspaper editting, including the Africa correspondent for the BBC Kwaku Sakyi-Addo, and former editor of Ghana's premier Saturday paper Daily Mirror...who is also my former boss at work!;-)
Here's a snapshot of the audience who appeared to be listening intently to ideas on whether the new tools for the media (mini-disc; Cool-Edit software; video camera with laser backup discs(!); etc) will as much as hinder us as they will help journalists improve news-writing...and the journalist!! (given how blogging is threatening to take over the qualified jorunalists)
To the right is Dorothy Gordon, DIrector-General of the ICT Centre, and to the left is Kwaku Sakyi-Addo. His brief profile is enviable: Kwaku Sakyi-Addo is a freelance journalist working part-time for BBC World service as a television correspondent. An experienced journalist and television presenter in Ghana, Sakyi-Addo has conducted many roundtables for the media in his country. Sakyi-Addo is interested in using journalism as a means for improving the lives of persons involved in the urban agriculture food production chain. from: http://www.idrc.ca/en/ev-93818-201-1-DO_TOPIC.html 
The outside of the World Bank office in Accra, in a rather plush compound, replete with the characteristic Ghanaian greenery of palm trees, coconut trees, et al.
Finally, just to prove I was at the summit, here's a picture of yours truly...doing something;-)Stretching a cheesy grin, I do believe;-))
...and, sure, it looks dark. That is because for despite all the so-called wisdom of our government, none of the members of the administration have seen it fit to have STREETLIGHTS set up on this road that spans some 10kilometres, plus. As I am not seeking to re-invent the wheel, let me just point to a quote I made in my other blog, in April, here:
The Spintex Road in Accra is one of the fastest-growing, traffic-inducing roads just outside the Accra Metropolis. It leads to Teshie-Nungua, and onto Tema. From that road, you reach the famous (or should that be infamous?) Tetteh-Quarshie Interchange, where you either get confused by the structure or follow the automobile crowd.
from: http://ekbensahinghana.blogspot.com/2006/04/accras-spintex-road-makes-eponymous.html
You can watch the video -- just to see how it feels to drive there -- here: http://ekbensahinghana.blogspot.com/2006/04/video-clip-driving-on-accras-spintex.html 
Esteemed readers and visitors, many thanks for visiting my blog. I also truly appreciate the comments.
As regards the pictures, I agree that the thumbnails are too small, but you can click on them to view the picture a bit better through flickr.com.
When I signed up, I accidentally selected thumbnails in flickr.com, and now do not know where to go to change the selection. Anyone who knos how to do that would be doing me a great favour by providing instructions!
Many thanks;-)
emmanuel
For comments or suggestions about the blog , please send me an eml: ekbensah AT ekbensah.net Thank you!
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