Accra-Tema Motorway: Is this the Extent of our Bilingualism (Vitesse / Speed)?

Less an indictment about Ghana's bilingual policy (we are bordered by francophone Togo to the east of Ghana and Cote d'Ivoire to the West)and more an excuse to reveal some information about the Accra-Tema motorway, I could only cull this from another source:

When the Accra-Tema Motorway was opened to traffic in 1964, it was mainly to link two major cities — Accra, the national capital, and Tema, the emerging industrial and port city.

At that time, Dr Kwame Nkrumah, the visionary, foresaw heavy vehicular traffic building between the two cities, reaching its peak when his dream of transforming Tema into the industrial hub of the newly-independent Ghana began to materialise.

Those who were old enough will recollect that in those days once one exited Accra, the only place of call was Tema, unless, of course, one was continuing towards Ho and beyond or Aflao, the country’s eastern gateway.

Today, 43 years later, the Accra-Tema Motorway cannot be said to be playing the same role envisaged at its inauguration.

The Motorway now carries heavy traffic destined for not only Tema and its numerous satellite settlements on the east but also for new communities that have sprung up on the western side...

It may interest you to know that the motorway is a few years younger than Britain's M1 motorway...

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!

Can You Tell Where I am? Google Maps Doesn't Know:-(

I suspect strongly that some day Google Maps might be able to find out that I am sitting by a computer in East Legon.

In a different take from usual posts, I thought I'd give you this entry as an insight into how our GPRS-enabled mobile service providers (this case Onetouch is able to allow us check email (see on the right)--and now, thanks to Google, even help us locate where we are in town!

I did a search and the satellite was able to, after some five minutes, locate Brussels and even the motorway there. Regrettably Google Maps couldn't find the Tema motorway--though it was able to find Tema (as you can see above).