From Taxi Hell...to Taxi Sanity at Accra Mall?

Ghanaians like to pretend they're paragons of virtue, but some of us like to think we know what paragons they are of--and it's certainly not cleanliness!

While this is a blog to showcase the great sides of Accra and Ghana, it's important to show the bad as well--just for balance, you understand;-)

Taxis are those groups likely to go straight to Hell if God were suddenly to appear in Accra (and you believed in Him ofcourse!) to do an inspection of the country: they're mostly impatient; indiscriminate about the fares they charge, and even when the regulator has given them a rate; and often possess very mercurial tempers.

Sometimes, someday, they err on the wrong side of a policeman, and end up doing the right thing.

I'm not quite sure which police officer ordered them to park here, but I witnessed, weeks back, a very exaggerated anger from a policeman who ended up removing the bolts of a taxi-driver's car that had parked wrongly, and headed off to Accra Mall on a whim.

The scene was not pretty: a policeman arguing with a poor, lanky, taxi-driver about where he had parked. After that, most of the taxi-drivers have been parking at the end of the bus-stop (as pictured here).

Bottom line is that while some have tried to renege on the unwritten contract to park there, most have stuck there safely...and littered the place in the process as well:-(

Still, I wouldn't exchange Ghana with any country!

Ghana's Experimentation with Bus Rapid Transit Shapes Up...

Ghana's experimentation with Bus Rapid Transit is a misnomer; it's fully on course, with ads on radio on some stations in full swing. Wikipedia describes it thus:

Bus rapid transit (BRT) is a term applied to a variety of public transportation systems using buses to provide faster, more efficient service than an ordinary bus line. Often this is achieved by making improvements to existing infrastructure, vehicles and scheduling. The goal of these systems is to approach the service quality of rail transit while still enjoying the cost savings and flexibility of bus transit.^[1] The expression BRT is mainly used in North America; in Europe and Australia, it is often called a busway, while elsewhere, it may be called a quality bus.

The definition is all well and good--except that it excludes Africa. For all the chaos associated with Nigeria (celebrating its 50 years), it is one of the first African countries to have implemented BRT. A couple of months ago, Ghanaian policy-makers in the transport system had to go down to Lagos to take notes! Check out the Lagos Metropolitan Area Transport Authority (http://www.lamata-ng.com/publictransport.htm) to see what I mean.


I took this picture of Mallam junction, en route to the Accra-Cape Coast highway. The above picture shows the beginning of the BRT. I write beginning specifically because there was a signboard on the road where you see the buses indicating that it is only for "dropping". Sadly, I saw private cars (including a diplomatic-licensed car) using that route--most likely to avoid traffic. Once it is in shape, this part of Accra is likely to reduce traffic considerably.

To be sure of Ghana's intentions on BRT, check out the Mass Metro Transit(MMT) website here: http://metromass.com/transit_system.htm.

All I have left to say is: bye-bye traffic!!!

Accra Train Through the City!

Last weekend, I was in the heart of the capital, where the trains do ply. Evidently, I couldn't help but capture the train passing through the community.

It's been a while since I took the train!

What about you?

East Legon--The Tunnel of No Return?

Not quite.

East Legon has this tunnel, which was never supposed to be used by cars--but by animals--but now has become a veritable tunnel to allow cars and dodgy trucks pass through north-bound and south-bound to the dreaded-Spintex Road.

Am I making any sense?

Neither does the inexplicable traffic that occasionally develops without reason. Had it not been for the guys at the mouth of the tunnel (check the figure in blue, wearing yellow on his head on the left) , the traffic would have been more than bottle-necks!

And, yeah: they're ALL guys. Tunnel-watchers haven't gotten gender-sensitive yet;-)

A Veritably West African weekend...

What does it take to have a truly West African weekend? A meal at Tante Marie in Accra Mall, or a Sunday evening with Blood Diamond? How about seeing a close relative off to the neighbouring West African country of Benin, by way of Accra.?

I might not have been sufficiently privileged to eat at Tante Marie, but I most definitely got my good share of West Africa.

It all started with Saturday morning, when up very early, my Mum and I accompanied my Dad off to Nigerian-based ABC Transport, near Caprice. At the time of morning we woke up--circa 4.00am, traffic was bound to be quiet and slow.

Some twenty minutes later, we were there at ABC Transport premises, curious, yet pleasantly surprised about how the Black Man can manage his own affairs. I felt especially proud when, after departure formalities (checking-in of passports at a till labelled "Lome-Benin-Lagos", weighing of suitcases to ensure when they passed the standard 25kg, a small yet reasonable fine would be paid; and finally lining up in not-so-single file to the buses to board (all against a backdrop of DStV) ) I spotted a Westerner, who looked rather confused at this kind of organised chaos.

But if to the Westerner, it looks like chaos, to the average ECOWAS-ian, it looks like a very decent attempt to travel West Africa at a reasonable rate. The trip from Ghana to Cotonou and back goes for around GHC100. For now, it is only four countries--Togo; Benin; Nigeria and Ghana--the ABC transport plies. I live to see the day when it can go westwards towards Cote d’Ivoire and maybe Senegal?...

My Favourite Taxi Rank (Accra Mall)

I like to walk, and from work, I often do so for around 15 minutes. Thanks to a colleague who showed me a new shortcut, I can get directly to Accra Mall now. This taxi rank is two minutes walk across the road from the mall.

I like it for the taxi-drivers--which cars are both salubrious and otherwise--shouting "motorway![reference to Tema motorway]"; "junction-junction-junction!"; "communities 18, 19"; "Fridays! Fridays!". All these routes ultimately lead to Tema. Almost every destination accrues a rate of GHC1.00, or roughly $US1.00.

I always take the "junction-junction-junction!" one (or simply junction!) as it takes me to after Papaye on the Spintex Road and to GOIL fillimg station, where I stop to walk on home.

Thanks for joining me!;-) Thanks for allowing me to indulge your patience!

Anyone for a Carwash?

This place depicts by no means the exclusive setting of a carwash, but it is quite representative of how carwashes look like in Accra: an open cement place, with plenty of place to spare, and busy men (usually men!) washing the cars with an alacrity unseen for work in the usually-hot sun!;-)

Here's your Ghana Taxi!

Just in case you have any doubt, this is a picture of what a typical taxi in Ghana looks like: double-coloured (always either yellow and white, yellow and brown, with at least a yellow colour in there somewhere!).

It is also followed by yellow number plates, with black lettering/digits. Private cars, conversely, have WHITE backgrounds as their plates. The "GW" at the beginning is always a tell-tale sign of where in Ghana it was registered. Here, the "GW" means Accra. Given the speed with which cars are being registered in the country these days, you will now see "GS", which is also Accra.

It originally started with "GR" for Greater Accra Region; whilst those who registered it at Tema got "GT".

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!

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!;-)

Need your Windscreen (in Accra) Cleaned?

I think I can already see some people shifting uncomfortably as this guy approaches towards the car. Not to worry: it's a regular refrain in Accra's traffic, sometimes, in some parts of town.

These guys are only trying to make a quick buck, but doing something to force you to give them a buck. In this case, a cedi;-)

Better than being an armed robber, no?

this picture was taken some five minutes drive away from the country's main airport in Accra

Cars Stand Attention: Traffic Wardens in Sight!

See the man, wearing white uniform, to the right of the picture? He is one of many traffic wardens, from Ghana's MTTU, or Motor Traffic and Transport Unit of the Ghana Police Service.

Here, he is directing traffic exactly the lane down, where this picture was taken, near the airport.

Ghana Taxis -- Security Embossment Exercise A-Ok!

See that "912" embossment on the side of the picture of that taxi (which I didn't take)? Well, it's a security number provided by a private embossment company for taxi drivers in the metropolis by the capital of Ghana's metropolitan assembly, or Accra Metropolitan Assembly, also known as AMA.

A Ghana government document online outlines some of AMA's responsibiities:

While it cannot be denied that waste management is high on the agenda of the Accra Metropolitan Assembly under the new Mayor, other critical issues are also of serious concern.These include the resolution of chieftaincy disputes, the mobilization of revenue to tackle various development projects and the enforcement of discipline as regards conformity or otherwise to the bye – laws of the A.M.A.
from http://www.ghana.gov.gh/dexadd/feature/taatolai.pdf

Guess what? It has a website, that has some interesting pictures, but is under construction. You can click it here

Waiting for Godot?: A Typical Ghanaian scene...

Despite the Jubilee and the celebrations, life still goes on. This is why you will find scenes like these, where Ghanaians from all walks of life wait patiently to board the so-called tro-tro bus, which is a very cheap--albeit dangerous--way of commuting;-)

For an overview of different modes of transport available for commuters, please check this link here: http://ekbensahinghana.blogspot.com/2006_08_01_archive.html