Akwaaba to Ghana, Welcome to the Ghana College of Physicians and Surgeons

Sure, I have passed this place to and from work many a time over last year, and I've only noted it as a really swank-looking place. Never really paid that much attention to it -- till now.

Today, as an earlier entry on my Trials/tribulations of a Freshly-arrived denizen testifies to, had it not been for the CSO Aid Effectiveness Forum, I would not have known that the Ghana College of Physicians and Surgeons is a reasonable place to hold a conference attracting some 3000 participants, as well as having accommodation and nice rooms for a number of activities to be held.


I am rather impressed, and hope that given it is still looking neat--and well-maintained-- after almost a year (note the plaque that says November 2007), it will continue to enjoy its culture of maintenance. The auditorium is big enough and I guess could easily accommodate some 2000 people.

Not that I counted or anything... Seriously though, arrangements for aid effectiveness forum for civil society--better known as CSO Forum--is going on smoothly now.

Is the frequency clear? CSO Parallel Aid Effectiveness Forum is where I am today--and will be tomorrow.

Have a good start of the week!

Weld away!

Ghanaians are known to be characteristically ingenious in the manner in which they can build things from scratch, even with the rudiments of anything--be it a smashed-up car, or some wood to build coffins shaped like cars or coca-cola bottles.

You'll be hard-pressed not rejoicing over the outcome of their fruits of labour, but like everything, there's a beginning--which probably starts from an image like this caption in today's entry!

Forget McDonald, Here's Mr.Biggs

Probably modelled on McDonalds, you might not believe it if I told you that this Nigerian franchise has been in existence since the 70s, but recently opened in Ghana, totalling four.

Here's what WIKIPEDIA writes about them:

Mr. Bigg's is Nigeria's first chain of fast food restaurants. Owned by conglomerate United African Company of Nigeria PLC, there are currently around 170 locations in Nigeria, including the country's first drive-through restaurant, with another four locations in Ghana[1].

The restaurant is styled after McDonald's, and is known for its red and yellow colour scheme and meat pies. Mr. Bigg's history begins with the coffee shops inside Kingsway Department Stores in the 1960s. In 1973, these shops were rebranded as Kingsway Rendezvous, which became Mr. Bigg's in 1986. The chain saw rapid expansion after becoming one of the first Nigerian companies to sell franchises to investors[2].

Mr. Bigg's specialty is the meat pie. A common lunch might also include scotch eggs, a sugared donut, chicken, and a soft drink. While western fare such as hamburgers are served, Nigerian delicacies such as jollof rice and moin moin are more popular. Birthday cakes are also a popular product, and Mr. Bigg's bakery offers cakes and pastries[3].

Nice to Know Police Presence is Nearby...

...even at the (in)famous Accra Mall!

As the elections approach with incredible celerity in December, we'll be sure to see more of these police patrol cars stationed discreetly round the capital!

No Photoshop Job in East Legon

With the tremendous number of imge-edittors out there, it would have been rather easy to get a picture of a wall, and have this "for sale" sign, of sorts, written on it.

Just that, it's no (Adobe) photoshop job; it's a very real picture of an expression by someone for anyone to buy guinea pigs and ducks from them.

Last time I looked, "banners" like these were done properely. Properely done, it requires a permit from the Accra Metropolitan Assembly that regulates the posting of such signs.

Fancy that! It has a website that is updated regularly!

This is the Kind of Accra Traffic I Abhor!

It's a good job I walk a lot.

Preoccupation becomes me, just in case you're unable to contrast my usually long-winded posts with these off-late very terse ones.

I'll be better next week.

Toodle-pip.

Make the weekend relaxing and constructive if you can!

Incidentally, this is taken from my favourite haunts--Accra Mall

Oh Ghanaian Chicken, Strut your stuff!

After all, we are in the Olympic season!;-)

From East Legon with...

...Olympian love and all that.

Nothing much to say except enjoy the special day--and the commencement of the Olympics.

Like the BBC Worldservice so dramatically puts it in its trailer for the Olympics coverage, ...

...New legends WILL be created!

Going Bananas...

...over so many things in Accra.

How about you?