Of Serene Snapshots & Signboards in East Legon (on a Weekday)

Too right! There is quite a lot of greenery in East Legon...



...and signboards, too!

Remember Eastgate Hotel?

(Talk about free advertising! Wonder whether I'm gonna get paid for this;-)) )

Have yourselves a stress-free weekend!

Ghana's Biggest Mobile Service Provider MTN Makes Dastardly Big Claims...

Check the two billboards out. Which is the biggest? South Africa-based MTN is certainly the biggest, exhorting one to "Go Make that Call".

The capital of Accra has been replete with an unprecedented psychedelic quality of yellow in the sense that there is a lot of yellow around--and it is certainly not the Ghanaian sun!

It's about MTN and its campaign of y'ello--ness, which is doing very little for its self-esteem off-late. This is because Ghana's regulator, the National Communications Authority, in an unprecedented move called on MTN and ONETOUCH, which has 70% stake owned by Ghana (which purchase is being bidded by Singapore Telecom) to shape up or be caused to audit their accounts, and face severe sanctions. You can read the story here: http://www.telegeography.com/cu/article.php?article_id=20073&email=html.

Whilst you are at it, you might want to check out MTN's yellow plane ensconced in the grassy knoll, of sorts, of Tetteh Quarshie interchange!



STOP PRESS: just heard that the regulator has apparently settled with both companies! It will be up to the media to inform us of the extent of these discussions!!

DEMOLITION MEN!!: Clean-up of Accra Begins...

It began Monday with what would prove to be a discerning afternoon, replete with dramatic and cascading scenes of pockets of crowds congregating in clusters of emotion, awe, surprise and resignation as men fron Accra Metropolitan Assembly, in collaboration with Zoom Lion--all clad in reflective attire--started demolishing structures, kiosks and whatnot.

All this was happening in a messy atmosphere of smoke, emanating from the furious fire of burning wood and metal.

It truly was a sight to behold.

The helplessness of those whose kiosks were being destroyed was palpable. The glimmer of hope in their eyes for a daily income must have died there and then.

But this was to be expected--for in the past few weeks, the AMA has undertaken a clean-up exercise of Accra--to rid the capital of filth before 15 countries descend into the country in January 2008 for the Cup of African Nations, to be hosted in Ghana.

Either way, the taxi driver who brought me back to the office was ambivalent. He felt that Ghanaians are too stubborn for their own good and that, whilst the situation was sad, the "squatters" had been informed as recently as a six months to a year ago.

"We Ghanaians, we are too stubborn!" he added as he fropped me off, taking my fee.

Could't agree more!!

Ghana Petrol Prices Increase...

The increase came yesterday--very much to the chagrin of consumers.

As someone who commutes with taxis off and on, I was shocked to learn that a short distance that would attract a cost of GHC1.00, or $US1.07, now is GHC1.50! Ofcourse, that might have been an arbitrary price--as taxi drivers are wont to fix--but what's clear is that the price increases are real:

New Petrol Prices Announced

General News - Thu, 01 Nov 2007

THE NATIONAL PETROLEUM Authority (NPA) has announced new prices for petroleum products effective today November I, 2007.
The new prices show an increase in the cost of petrol by 4 per cent.

This means that a litre of petrol will now sell at 97.78Gp from a previous price of 93Gp.

The upward adjustment has become necessary because of the hike in crude oil prices on the world market. The price of crude oil on the world market continues to surge. As at last night, a barrel of crude was selling for $93.38 on the New York Mercantile Exchange.
http://www.modernghana.com/GhanaHome/NewsArchive/news_details.asp?menu_id=1&id=VFZSUk1rNVVVWG89

Too bad for the Ghanaian pocket?

Wanna See Accra by bus? Try ACCRA TOURS...

Here's the news item announcing Accra tours in January this year:

Accra Tours Project Launched

By Times Reporter

Saturday, 27 January 2007

SOME school children boarding a bus after the launch yesterday of Accra Tours, a new tourism project.(Inset): Mr. Jake Obetsebi-Lamptey, Minister of Tourism and of Diasporan Relations, performing the launch. With him is Mrs. Stella Appenteng (left), president of the Tour Operations Union.

Accra Tours, an initiative of the Tourism Ministry in collaboration with the Tour Operators Union, Tour Guides Association and Metro Mass Transit, commences operations on January 31. It will be a professionally-run guided tour service aimed at promoting domestic tourism.

Enjoy!!

Eating Out...at Cafe de Paris, on a Warm Afternoon in Accra

This afternoon, passed by Max Mart, and then decided to pass by this place for a bite. Considering the taciturn atmosphere, only punctuated with antiquated songs by Julio Iglesias on the tv (which turned out to be a DVD), I was left alone to commune with my thoughts and take a look at how this opportunity could be used to make it an "Accra Daily Photo" one.

First of all, "Cafe du Paris" is located on the ground floor of A&C Shopping Mall, and it's been a great while since I came here, as the food is not all that cheap.

I made the mistake of asking the waiter to recommend a sandwich dish to me, which he gladly did. I found out that he was recommending that, because that was the only dish he knew! out of the five proposed in the menu I am holding above.

Anyway, the food arrives, and this is what it looks like:



I was déçu**! It looked more like a glorified Club Sandwich than anything exotic:-( Either way, must say that on the positive side, the chips were this side of heaven--crisp to the hilt! I have to admit, though, that with the word "club" prefacing the "Club Cafebar", which went for a cool GHC4.70, or exactly $5.00, small wonder I got what I got!!

In any event, Paz, if you're reading, I hope it's whetted your appetite, and given great inspiration for your great site, which all of you can access here: http://thecookingadventuresofchefpaz.blogspot.com/

bon appetit!






**french for disappointed

Spintex Road at its Calmest

Here is a view of the Spintex Road, which I took last Friday afternoon, with the characteristic "shot from behind" angle I like to deploy once in a while. You can see that unusually, the traffic is flowing very smoothly as the taxi I was in took me to Accra Mall.

If you are wondering what that is on the left of the picture, wonder no more--they are indeed beds, designed to be slept on!

Nothing more, nothing less.

The Spintex Road is replete with many sights like these up until after GOIL filling station, when you begin to see more industries, and whatnot;-)

Accra Mall Update: The Banks Fight Back!

As you go and have a good weekend, just enjoy this one from Accra Mall, where ECOBANK, Stanbic, and BARCLAYS bank have all pitched camp.

Battle for customers is certainly a serious understatement!!

Too Much Accra Traffic? Here's What You Can Do...

Let's use the bicycle!

I was, as you might imagine, stuck in some lunch-time traffic near so-called 37 military hospital, when I saw this elderly man cruise past us, and proceed casually on his way--by way of his trusted bike! I so felt like conjuring my bike from the sky to do the same thing!;-))

Anyone for Labone Kebab?

Actually, there's no difference between kebab in Labone--an up-market suburb of Accra--and anywhere else in Accra! The only thing is that this kebab has been better packaged, and it's going for an unbelievable GHC0.50 (SO ghana pesewas), or $0.60 (60 cents) or so.

When you request one, they put some spice on it, and then onto a fire. Within five minutes, you got yourself a hot and nicely-condimented kebab!

Orders from the Accra Metropolitan Assembly!

Got anything to post in Accra?

Remember--you saw this notice from the Accra Metropolitan Assembly here first!!

Have a good weekend!

Who Said Teaching Had to be Easy?: Web 2.0, Here Journalists Come!!

Currently at Ghana's Kofi Annan IT Centre of Excellence (http://www.aiti-kace.com.gh/), where my voice is taking a break after having done some tutoring / coaching / teaching on web journalism.

This is a great passion--and coincidentally my main are of work professionally--which I am thankful to be using to impart to journalists and media practitioners that are more senior than myself  the art of...blogging.

It is reputed that I have a quintessential skill in blogging.

I say, for every one, there are many unsung heroes who know more than I do--and I am not just being humble.

It's been a while since I did public speaking, but for some strange reason, this felt great! Regrettably, I am unable to meet great minds here tomorrow, as work beckons, but, for sure, I'll be in touch with them all!

More pictures to follow soon!

Welcome to Monte Carlo...in Accra (in Labone)

Last Friday, my organisation asked a colleague and myself to accompany a group of Dutch students that were in Ghana to a restaurant Macquis Tante Marie. Situated in one of the plush parts of Accra, Labone, I got there a bit earlier than the time, and decided to take a look around--only to uncover that there's a Monte Carlo right here in Accra!!

Ghana International Press Centre

This is the quintessential home of Ghanaian journalists--and also where most press conferences are held in the country.

The Length and Breadth of...

...a Mass Metro Transport Bus!

You can visit the website here

Other links on this blog:/

http://accradailyphoto.blogspot.com/2007/02/inside-ghanas-mass-metro-buses.html

http://accradailyphoto.blogspot.com/2006/10/heres-almost-how-packed-i-was-in.html

Oh, this Accra Traffic!

Do you see the scaleof the traffic that can be visited upon the capital of Accra? Especially at rush-hour? You m ay see from the picture that there's a white van--that's a tro-tro, understandably trying to get in file of the traffic (after having left a shoulder where it dropped off (and took some) passengers).

Meanwhile, despite the green light from the traffic lights, and a bit of movement for vehicles, the density of traffic is nothing to write home about!

Views from a Tro-Tro: Traffic on the Tetteh-Quarshie Interchange

If you're a regular visitor to this blog, then you'll know that Tetteh-Quarshie interchange is a regular feature in this blog. Primarily because that is where I pass to go to and from home often.

This particular entry is a different take: yesterday I came back from town, heading for the office at East Legon, around 5.10pm. Bad timing, because that is categorical rush-hour time. I was in a tro-tro this time, and decided to take a shot from my camera-phone. I got a few quizzed faces, but it was worth it!

Open for Business! Pippa's Health Centre @ A&C Shopping Mall

No, I don't get paid for this free publicity! But I thought I'd give this new centre--recently opened--at the A & C Shopping Mall a name-check, of sorts.

If you re-call from that post last year, I said that the following would be coming:

Leisure and Fitness Centre

Beauty Therapy Clinic

Health Spa and Sauna

Restaurant

Night Club

Shops, and Offices

Well, we can tick off items 1-4, as they are in the works, and with 2, 3, and 4, to be completed by the end of the year.

I checked out Pippa's Health Centre this afternoon, and was impressed by the rest-rooms--all equipped with showers. A very plush place. You'll have to contact the centre itself for the prices. Not my job!;-)

I am personally looking forward to the swimming pool in December. Swim sessions in the afternoon wouldn't be bad at all!

Palm Trees Abound in Central Region, at Elmina Beach Resort Hotel

Need I say anymore?

Check out the lush palm trees, and plush surroundings. This is heaven on Earth!

You will only find it in the Central Region--the tourism region of the country;-)

The balcony there looks over onto the Atlantic Ocean.

Waiting to Board a (Public Transport) Bus

This is a familiar scene all over Accra--especially rush-hour, when many Ghanaians are hoping to get home as quickly as possible.

This is one of the many different types of transport we have available for Ghanaians to commute, albeit more popular--not just for the very low cost of around 10 Ghana pesewas, or circa $0.13, but because it's also positively more comfortable than the usual tro-tros!

The tyres are another rather typical scene; they help remind motorists that there are vulcanizers in the 'hood who can fix tyres for you!;-)

Personalised Number Plates in Ghana...More Money than Sense?

There is a perception about car-owners who personalise their number-plates.

Considering the hefty prices (1000 Ghana cedis or US$930) minimum, I often put it down to these types simply having more money than...sense!

Have a good weekend!

Ghana Banks: SG-SSB

Ghana has some twenty-four banks, including this one, which is SG-SSB, and is a merger between what was then Ghana's Social and Security Bank, and the multinational Societe Generale.

I had a horrible experience with these bankers, who used to be my bankers, which I wrote about in November last year

Snapshot of Downtown Accra (37)

This is a random shot taken last year of town.

You can see billboards (National Health Insurance); street (on the right), and many other psychedelic signboards.

How an Itinerant Newspaper Vendor on a Rainy September Day Threw Open the Debate on Education

See the guy in the picture? He's selling newspapers in traffic--a very common sight in Accra, and much of the metropolis all over the country...

Common, because Ghanaians like to carry newspapers when driving, so that when they stop, they can read--or so I think. The whole irony surrounding the act of reading is that despite this, it's difficult to meet any politically-minded Ghanaian--as many are--that can not only argue with a passionate intensity about what one party is or not doing, and also string a coherent and correct sentence together in English!!

A report from one of the popular and leading ENglish-speaking private radio stations wrote a report that maintained:

Back home in Ghana, over 10 percent of Ghanaian children in class six cannot read while about 50 percent of the adult population is said to be totally illiterate
http://www.myjoyonline.com/education/read.asp?contentid=7970

Obviously, this is a VERY serious cause for concern. According to the CIA World Fact Book, Ghana's literacy is listed as 66.4% of males being literate (according to 2000 census) and 49.8% of women.

Evidently, our educational standards have dropped significantly. The incumbent government's new educational policy might just help address this deficit in the most significant manner possible!!

According to the article above, the new syllabus is already available on the Ministry of Education's website here: www.edughana.net

Welcome to Cresta Atlantic Resort in Bortianor, Old Weija Barrier: A Site for Robust Campaigners!

Not to be confused with what used to be Cresta Royale Hotel, but has been fo ra few months now FIESTA Royale Hotel, part of the Sterling group of hotels.

This is the place I went to from Saturday 1 September up until this past Tuesday. It is the reason for the few-day absence, as we were seriously strategising with partners on stopping some nefarious trade agreements the EU wants Africa to sign by 31st December, 2007.

Back by 7th September

Am currently in campaign-mode at work, working with my colleagues, away from the office; and some time away from my desk...seriously deprived of my habitual radio-fixes!;-)

How the Ubiquitous Two-Colored Taxi Reflects Ghana's Multi-facetted Life...

Ok, so perhaps a bit of a wordy entry.

Looking at this picture of a taxi, I cannot help but feel patriotic: you've got your red and yellow; green, and a bit of black--all against the backdrop of some palm trees, set against the backdrop, in turn, of a hustling and bustling metropolis...that is veritably Accra.

A Typical Scene in East Legon, Accra

Here, from the rooftop of "Special Plaza II" in East Legon, I was able to snap a picture of "Special Plaza I", and the surrounding activities that go along, such as taxis plying the route; food vendors and whatnot plying their trade...

That yellow umbrella is that of MTN, which has made itself more than ubiquitous off-late!!

Welcome to Ghana Institute of Management and Public Administration (GIMPA)

Problems with the press nothwithstanding over whether the Rector Dr.Stephen Adei is a professor or not, GIMPA remains a beautifully plush (and expensive) place to enjoy very high-quality education. Here's what the website says:

The Ghana Institute of Management and Public Administration (GIMPA) was established in 1961 as a joint Ghana Government/United Nations special Fund Project. It was originally the Institute of Public Administration established as one of the key strategic institutions to develop the public administrative system and to produce civil servants with administrative and professional competence to plan and administer national, regional and local services.

In 1966, the joint sponsorship ended and the UN formally handed over the Institute to the Government of Ghana. The Institute was re-designated the Ghana Institute of Management and Public Administration (GIMPA) in 1969 to reflect its enlarged focus.

GIMPA’s activities over the past forty five (45) years have been guided by five successive mandates from the first Legislative Instrument of 1961 to the current GIMPA Law 2004 (Act 676). Each one has affirmed the status of the Institute as the nation’s leading management development institution to provide the study of Public Administration and Management in Ghana. In line with the government’s public sector reform initiatives, GIMPA has been restructured into a self-financing organization with a new structure to meet its new mandate.

from:http://www.gimpa.edu.gh/home/gimpa/

Generators in Accra no More?

For the past two weeks, many parts of Accra has been enjoying many days without interruption of electricity. This contrasts starkly with personal anecdotes last year which run like this:

Accra is in the Dark Ages.

Ever since the load-shedding started, the country’s electricity provider ECG, has decided to ride on the back of the "load management programme" by continuing to deliver increasingly execrable service.

Yesterday, on an evening that was not supposed to experience load-shedding at 6pm, the lights went out, eliciting a collective sigh of resignation and frustration all-rolled-in-one. Calls were made, and it transpired that there was "a fault" in one of the stations near the motorway of Tema. Later, I found out that it wasn’t quite near the motorway, but somewhere around Tema. Not to mention the lack of consistency in the lies (you don’t even know where the genesis of the so-called fault is?) but to buttress all that is the frustration associated with feeling the lights will come on soon when you call, only to find out that the problem has not finished being worked on!
from: http://ekbensahinghana.blogspot.com/2006/10/darkness-falls-in-accra-1.html

This generator outside is reminiscent of many scenes all over the capital up until some two weeks ago. I can say with certainty that last night, the electricity was suposed to go off. Pleasurably, it did not.

Normality in the offing?

No Way to Get Lost in Accra...

With one of these fortified pillars explaining to you how far you are away into and out of the centre of Accra, how can you possibly get lost?;-)

Let There Be Light!! (2)...

...my neighborhood...one night, several mobile phone camera evening shots ago;-))

Short of being blasphemous, I could't help but take this shot to expose the contrast of the yellow lights versus the darkness...

Lest I forget, peculiar V, I got you covered! I owe you a response;-)

A&C Shopping Mall at Night--A Litany of Lights!

I took this picture from the balcony of A&C Shopping mall one fine evening in 2005.

Although a bit blurred, the lights are this side of phenomenal!:-) You can guess that the two yellow lights are streetlights emphasizing themselves in the darkness...

It's Not the Taxi; It's the Bank! (Ghana Commercial Bank)

...that most interests me. It's Ghana's largest Indigenous bank, the Ghana Commercial Bank.

Their customer service might be nothing to write home about, but they've been in operation--and existence long, long before I was born! Actually, since 1953, when it was established. It is also the only bank in the country that has networks and branches throughout Ghana's ten(10!) regions:

Ghana Commercial Bank Ltd. established in May 1953 for Ghanaian entrepreneurs, is now the largest indigenous Bank with 133 branches nation-wide. Our objective among others is to support the private sector and facilitate the nation's economic growth

Have a good weekend!

Welcome (Akwabaa) to GOIL Filling Station!

This is what it says on its nicely-designed website here:http://goilonline.com/web/contents/about/index.php

Ghana Oil Company Limited (GOIL) was established on 14th June 1960 under the Companies Ordinance (CAP 193) as AGIP Ghana Limited with AGIP S.P.A of Italy having 855,000 shares and SNAM SPA also of Italy with 95,000 shares. On the 16th December 1968 the 95,000-shares were transferred to Hydrocarbons International Holdings of Zurich. The Company is now fully owned by the government of Ghana which acquired it in 1974. Ministry of Energy represents the government in all its dealings with the Company

I have always wondered why filling stations have websites, but I guess in these days of one, they wonder "why not"? Either way, I have to admit that it's rather fortuitous that I should find this on my desktop somewhere, because three years back home, working professionally, and here I was totally oblivious to this website!!

This picture was taken on the Spintex Road

The "Nanteyie" you see means "drive safely, goodbye!"

Red Royal Poinciana Trees in Accra?

Thought that would get your attention! Actually, there are many of these trees in the capital, Accra, and they bloom around May, when I took this picture--way back in 2005.

I'm unsure of the name--can anyone enlighten me?

15/8 update: Thank you, Ann! (from:http://mobaydp.blogspot.com/2007/07/flamed.html These are Poinciana Trees)

Beautiful Sunset on Tetteh-Quarshie Interchange

This is what I call "soul-food"!

Happy weekend!

Up Close and Personal...at the Tetteh-Quarshie Interchange

This was, at least, the scene of serenity that greeted me yesterday evening, as I walked to get a taxi heading for the Spintex Road.

Boy was I in for a surprise, when up above, I would wait for a horrendous 1.5 hours before catching a Spintex-road-bound cab!

So, why the serenity, and free-slow this side on a Wednesday that is rarely traffic-free this side? Could it be the children on vacation?

Other photos of Tetteh-Quarshie:http://accradailyphoto.blogspot.com/2006/07/going-to-tetteh-quarshie-interchange.html

Spider Plants Eat their Heart Out in Accra!

These plants rarely need that much water to survive, and so it's little surprise that you'll find many of them littered around the capital of Accra!

Careful not to come too close, though!

Who Says African Children Cannot Read?

Ofcourse, I don't think anyone has ever said that, or even made that assumption. The usual spiel is that Africa is... (choose your negative tag).

I am not making any political statement here, except to say that I think this interesting and spontaneous picture I took a few weeks ago, whilst waiting to have my shoe fixed from a nearby shomeaker, diproves the fallacy and perception (including my own!) that African children aren't keen to learn!

Ghana's Flagstaff House Shrouded in Controversy

As far as my searching has gone, there exists no coherent entry on what the Flagstaff House is in Ghana. Even wikipedia has no entry on it--except the one in Hong Kong, which bears the same name.

Suffice-to-say, it was supposed to be the seat of government, as prescribed by the our first President Osagyefo Dr.Kwame Nkrumah. However, off-late, it has been the subject of controversy, because Stanbic Bank--the very bank that wants to take over the shares of Ghana's only Agricultural Development Bank is now providing a loan for the re-construction of Flagstaff House. All this against much criticism from the minority National Democratic Congress in Parliament.

Now, please follow this logic:
1. Stanbic Bank wants to buy off Ghana's Agricultural Development Bank (responsible for providing micro-financing for farmers in the country)

2. Against the backdrop and furore against the purchase by Stanbic, it decides...

3. to provide a loan for the re-construction of Ghana's seat of government

Do I smell

desperation

by Stanbic to profit from Ghana here?

Certainly, not in my name, thankyou!!

Near the Airport, More Buildings Spring Up

Are there too few or too many trees near the airport?

Ghana Cedi is Here! Of Serendipity and Virtue, Accra-Style!

The Ghana cedi may be here...but so is a blogger-cum-visitor-of-this-blog in town! She goes by the name of peculiar virtue, and she left a heart-warming post in the previous post.

It's truly serendipitous, or fortuitous, or lucky, for her to have chanced upon this blog a while back, and be visiting this country shortly after. Welcome PV!



In the meantime, let me present to you the NEW Ghana cedi. The pictures here are of the front and the back respectively (depending on what you consider the front, ofcourse!!). This new 20Ghana cedi (GHC20,00) is equivalent to old ç200,000 (two hundred thousand cedis). It is also equivalent almost to $20.00. In fact, if $1.00 is now GH0.92, or 92 Ghana pesewas (smallest denomination in coins), then we're looking at $21.73

Ghana has entered a new financial dawn--or so we are led to believe;-)

Remember this story? It might refresh your minds on the new currency;-)

Post Resumption at Last!: A&C Shopping Mall at Night

I took this picture with a SAGEM myx-7 phone in 2005. It was a late evening, around 6.45pm. I am including this detail just to say that go there any day around that time, and you will see a similar view. Nothing has changed that much, except new buildings round the back of the mall.

What I particularly like about this picture is the contrast of colours versus the contrast of the upstairs versus the downstairs.

(it's good to be back!--my computer is now virus-free. Wa-hey!)

Sporadic Posting for a while

We may have passed the middle of the year already, and every one might have forgotten how close to Christmas we are all getting. I raise this issue, because it strikes me every day, off-late, that time is running out for the numerous things we want to do.

 

Blogging offers a grand escape from the realities of life, and I am not about to stop it soon.

 

Suffice-to-say, whether it's about Venezuela getting goose-bumps from the friction of leaving MERCOSUR for a better alternative; me getting late with the writing of my novel; appreciating beautiful parts of Accra by way of pictures I have taken--but not yet posted--or pontificating about some of the challenges of living and working in my ever-so-beautiful country of Ghana, I shall blog about it.

 

Just that: next week, as this week has proved to be, I shall be a bit busy.

 

Internet provision that has remained this side of sporadic, coupled with a battle against viruses--both computer-related and otherwise--has been the bane of my blogging, but I shall definitely recover the week of the 23rd of July.

 

You can for sure expect more soapboxing from then!

 

have a good weekend!
 

Waste Management, Ghana-Style!

(May I take the opportunity to say that a combination of sporadic internet access and seriously hectic period, compelling me to be multi-tasker-of-all-things-but-blogging has created the vacuum of posting!)

Zoomlion is a waste management company that has been operating in the country for a while. This is what its very well-designed website says:

Zoomlion Gh. Ltd is an affiliate of Zoomlion China produces of quality and durable waste
management equipments which has over 50 years experience in the waste management
sector.
Zoomlion Gh. Ltd is clearly focused on delivering quality waste management solution by
providing solutions that rely on ongoing technical innovations that respect the environment. read more
from: http://www.zoomliongh.com/

I am telling you this, because when you look closely at the picture, you will see, to the right of the picture, some chaps in yellow hats, just in front of the guy with the fluorescent orange top. These are the waste management people under Zoomlion.

And when I say "under", it's interesting, because in fact, I noticed that the words "AMA", or Accra Metropolitan Assembly, was written under the words ZOOMLION. I suppose it's there as evidence of approval by AMA for Zoomlion to clean the streets in Accra.

This picture was taken just some metres away from the 37 military hospital, anad not to far from Flagstaff House--the official residence of the first President Osagyefo Dr.Kwame Nkrumah.

A Snapshot of "Hotel Kufuor"

Anecdotal evidence has it that this nice-looking hotel belongs to the incumbent President's son. Elsewhere, they say it actually belongs to him! In 2005, a scandal borke out over this, and made headline news for weeks. Today, we officially know and accept it as the African Regency Hotel. In most Ghanaian minds, they know what they think!;-)

Good weekend!

The Reason for the One-Week Absence--In Pictures!: When Africa Meets in Accra!

Welcome to Ghana, and the Ninth Session of the African Union--In your face!

...in perspective!