One of Ghana's Pleasures: Buying (key) Groceries...from the Roadside (in Eastern Region)

Yes indeed! It is one of the pleasures of travelling through the country, where prices are bound to vary on groceries like tomatoes, onions, etc--essential ingredients for the quintessential soups that Ghanaians like to drink;-)

Here, en route to Accra from Volta Hotel, in the Eastern region in January 2006, after a work-related trip, a couple of colleagues stopped down from the bus to buy tomatoes to take to Accra, on the one-hour journey back to the capital.

PLease feel free to re-visit the video I posted about the beautiful greenery that characterises that part of the Eastern region, here:http://accradailyphoto.blogspot.com/2006/06/video-commentaryakosombo-commentary.html

Spintex Road Flowerpots, Anyone?

One of the greatest mysteries of living in Accra is the capacity for Ghanaians to display expensive products -- like these flower pots -- outside, and gather them all meticulously at night, covering it with something or other for the next day, without being too scared that at night, someone might come and whisk it away! And if that paragraph is this short of too long, sue me! 'Cos I don't understand!

Sometimes, you get vendors selling sofas--yes, leather sofas--in this same environment. Evidently, when the climate is less clement, as in when the rainy season sets in from July-October, selling in this risk-averse way might be problematic. Either way, the Ghanaian capacity to "arise and surprise" is kicked in when conditions change;-)

(btw: many thanks for all those who commented on the music on this blog!;-) )

Welcome to Ange Hill Hotel, East Legon, Accra: Are you prepared for some green?

I've been here a couple of times. The hospitality is typically Ghanaian, but the speed with which things are done is the questionqble part, especially when it comes to getting your food.

You might be interested in taking a stroll round the grounds of this most-green of hotels (that contrasts beautifully against the greenery of East Legon!;-) )whilst you wait for your order!;-)

All that being said, the rooms are very cosy and comfortable; and the beds are comprehensively inviting!

Be careful, though, as you might just bump into film crews; it's a great location for Ghanaian soaps!

Alternatively, you could just check out their website here: http://www.angehillhotel.com/.

Have a good weekend!!

Miklin Hotel at Night: What a Difference Tungsten Makes

The title says it all: this is Miklin Hotel of Feb 20, 2007 fame (below), but this was taken with a "normal" frame--i.e.with a flash from a distance of around 200metres (if you count standing behind the gates of the hotel and the front that many metres;-) )...

...whereas this particular picture was taken with a tungsten style on my Polaroid digital camera. How do you find the difference? The blue looks very elegant, in my view...

Welcome to Miklin Hotel, East Legon, Accra!

I figured since some of you may not be able to be in the country to celebrate Ghana's Jubilee Year, I would bring you a snapshot of some of the hotels, as a way for you to live vicariously through the pictures on how the experience of these hotels might be like. Today is the start of these occasional posts, and this is of Miklin Hotel, located in East Legon--a few metres walk away from my office;-)

The staff at this hotel are very friendly, but the food at the bar takes quite a bit of time to arrive. It serves everything from local Ghanaian dishes (jollof, fried rice, banku and tilappia) to sandwiches and chips, with any dish you like.

Welcome to EZI-Shop!

As Ghana moves progressively towards a cashless society, where an increasing number of consumers use ATMs, more of these so-called EZI-shops will be popping round Shell Shops in the capital and beyond. And more we need! They are hosted by ECOBANK, the indigenous West African bank, that is linked to the classic VISA platform.

Have a great weekend!

Happy Valentine's Day, Happy Chocolate Day!

Happy Valentine's Day! or, if you're in Ghana today, Happy Chocolate Day!. The Ministry of Tourism a few weeks ago decided to designate Valentine's day as Chocolate Day, as a way of ensuring that we, Ghanaians, patronize our chocolate.

According to the latest statistics from the UK-based International Cocoa Organisation, Ghana is the n#2 top producer of cocoa in the world. Even despite the coup of 2002 that hit the West Africa country of Cote d'Ivoire, the country remains the top producer, producing between 2005-6 1,387 thousand tonnes of cocoa, against Ghana's 740 thousand.



This article in USA Today on how Young Ghanaians [have been] smitten with holiday pretty much sums the whole picture up.

Advertising for free in Ghana! (Well, almost), with Weekly Donkomi

While it is fair to say that there are a slew of newspapers in the country that advertise, I am sure we can all surmise that the advertising is for a fee. Whether the amount is affordable or not is a moot point, but point is taken that there is that space.

Well, today, I bring you the first -- at least in this country -- of a newspaper that will be sold for ç4000 (4000 cedis), or 4000/9100, or just under $US0.43(43 cents) for almost 12 pages of free-ly submitted adverts, ranging from classifieds to cars to whatever you can think of!

Hooray for the (Ghanaian) consumer!

JB Danquah Circle in Accra (Ghana is 50!)

By way of celebrating Ghana's Jubilee year, here's a picture of the Danquah circle, located some metres away from Osu, Oxford Street--a very popular part of the capital for both Westerners and Ghanaians alike.

J.B.Danquah was a member of the so-called "Big Six", who spearheaded the country's independence. He is also considered by some Ghanaians as the "doyen" of Ghana politics. He is, regrettably, also implicated by some to have been involved in what some consider apocryphal--or questionable--accounts of the overthrow (collusion with CIA) of the first president of Ghana, Dr.Kwame Nkrumah, in 1966.



Here's a picture of the website, where you can find more info on the "Big Six"...


whose pictures grace our 10,000 cedi bill, which by July 2007, would be equivalent to almost $US1.00.

Inside Ghana's Mass Metro buses

Just like any other bus, right?;-)

Had a Bad Day? This Video Clip might Just Fix it!

Add to My Profile | More Videos

Thanks to Live Africa, the blog of an expat living in Ghana, for amusing me no-end with this post. Spread the love with this video.

Seeing as Youtube and Video posting is all the rage these days, I think I might just follow fashion;-)

Have a good day!

The Spintex Road has Traffic Lights!!

I took this picture last week from a taxi. I wanted to capture the Spintex Road, as well as the erection of the traffic lights there. Now, all we have to do is to wait for them to be lined ALL the way on the road, as well as light up!!;-)

Papaye: Anyone for Fast Food, Ghanaian style?

When I first arrived back home in Ghana in 2004, I was under the impression that this fast-food joint, which goes by the name "Papaye" was Ghanaian. This, despite the fact that a number of retail outlets in this country are owned and run by the Lebanese! In any event, even more interesting was my investigation into the name, which was a non-starter, really, 'cos I arrived at the conclusion that with a name like "Papaye", it was probably the Lebanese owner, probably married to a Ghanaian woman, who might have heavily influenced him--or not.

Either way, in Ghana, the word "papa", apart from meaning "father", also means "good". So "papaye" means "doing good", which is quite odd why a Lebanese would choose that name, unless he/she considered it an expression of corporate social responsibility?


Oh well. The food is not bad. You have to wait in an air-conditioned place like the picture below. The counter is on the immediate left. After some twenty minutes of waiting, you get your order, with the customary receipt, which you can find below:

At the time I ordered the food (28 November, 2005), you can see from the receipt that I ordered 3 GRILLED CHICKEN and RICE, which has got to be the favourite of Ghanaians;-) The chicken is usually a quarter, and out of this world. Very well-condimented, even if I do say so myself;-)) The rice can be a bit TOO much for one person, and very often, you can have the rest the following day.

Would I recommend Papaye? Certainly! One dish is now ç29,000, or just under $US2.9. Is that cheap--by Ghanaian standards-- for a dish like that?

enjoy the day!

[pictures taken from my SAGEM My-x-7]

A Snapshot of Central Region (Elmina Beach Resort)

Hello all, I know it's been a while; if you check my last post (12 January, 2007) on Reflecting the Eccentric World of E.K.Bensah, you'll find that I am "under the weather". I am far better now, thankfully.

It is precisely for that reason I thought I ought to write something in here to let my regular readers and otherwise know that I am ok and haven't stopped the blogging enterprise! This post originally found itself on one of my other blogs, but it's for the pictures that I am re-posting here.

This is where the whole staff stayed from 17-21 December for our annual review. It's in the Central Region, a typically tourist region for all the greenery and proximity to the ocean...

...where I played some basketball with a colleague's son...

...worked out in the gym of Elmina Beach Resort for three mornings...

...and enjoyed the beautiful landscape set against the ocean.

Great to be back in Accra, but definitely missing the place!

May this New Year 2007 bring you ALL you desire and much, much more!

tags:
elmina beach resort; ghana; central region;
happy new year;

Well done, Bank of Ghana!...(We're 50 days to Ghana's 50th Anniversary!!)

My parents and I were very happy yesterday evening to see this blue-and-yellow pamphlet, that is lying on my keyboard. It's from the Bank of Ghana, detailling the whys and wherefores of the re-denomination scheduled for July. In fact, ever since the announcement late last year of the redenomination of the Ghana cedi, such that
10,000 Ghanaian cedis will become, as from July this year, 1 NEW Ghanaian cedi, there have been a number of (silly) jingles on the radio, and a banner (quasi-permanent) on the front page of the Daily Graphic newspaper, and other newspapers so that the public becomes used to the "conversion".
This is what the government-supporting private paper, The Statesman wrote about it in its review of the year, 2006:

"The biggest change in the Ghanaian economy of 2006 was the announcement of the new Ghana Cedi, which will be launched in July 2007. Four zeros will be knocked off our current currency, making one new cedi equivalent to ¢10,000 in today’s money."

The pamphlet answers the following questions:

1. why is there a need for redenomination?


2. what is replacing the old notes and coins?


3. what will be the relationship between the old and new notes and coins?


4. will I lose value if I exchange my old notes and coins for new notes and coins?


5. does it mean that the cedi is going to be devalued or revalued?


6. what happens to the old notes and coins when the new notes and coins are introduced?


7. what happens after the transition period?


8. will this exercise lead to price increases?


9. will this affect my wages and salaries?


Simply put -- and I am deliberately referring to #5, which might be of relevance to non-Ghanaians -- from July going, $US1 will be equivalent to 92Ghanaian PESEWAS. This is if we are operating from the assumption that currently $US1=9,200 Ghanaian cedis.

I find it all exciting.

Without a doubt, when at the annual conference of the incumbent government--the New Patriotic Party(NPP)--that was held in the Eastern region at the beginning of the year, the President John A Kufuor said that the new currency would be equivalent (almost) to a dollar, it made the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC)quiver in its boots. Just a bit.

What I do know is that time is the only thing that will hold the real truth of it all...;-)

tags:
ghana cedi;ghana new currency;accra;50 days to Ghana's jubilee;

HAPPY NEW YEAR to you all...It's Ghana's JUBILEE YEAR!!

May the winds of fortune that I command blow your way and beyond;-)) May all your blogger and non-blogger dreams, wishes and desires come to pass--wherever you may be;-)

I truly apologise for the absence, but the beginning of December saw some intense activities at the office, including spending some four nights in a hotel, going home; and another four nights in another hotel outside the capital for the organisation's annual review. More pictures to follow from this visit!

I am using these pictures because suffice-to-say, the hotel atmosphere inhibits any serious cogitation or consideration for blogging! There's too much DSTV on tv to bother about blogging!;-))


In my parent's car in town during Christmas eve, near the famed-37 area, because the biggest building in that area is the 37 military hospital. Destination?...


...MaxMart, the Lebanese retail store that boasts two big stores, including this one, in the capital, and where many non-Ghanaians and Ghanaians -- of the middle class kind, might I cheekily add -- shop. Everything can be obtained here, some slightly below and at par with the Ghanaian market, or slightly above. You get your Belgian chocolates here; your Kellogs; your major multinational brands, includinig Nescafe, etc...

See those red number plates on that merc? It belongs to a diplomat (in Ghana, red plates are diplomatic plates, which include "CD"), so that already tells you what kind of "calibre" or class comes to shop here;-)

Oh yeah, the President John A Kufuor, in his New Year speech declared the Jubilee Year for Ghana "open". Wanna find out more about Ghana's

fiftieth

year of existence? Please click here: http://www.ghana50.gov.gh

tags:
accra christmas; ghana; ghana jubilee; ghana 50;

Downtown Accra: The ID Card is in the Offing...2007!

I know it's been a while. Work pressures, including periods away from office desk, have compounded the absence. Hope you're all well:-)

Incidentally, just to the left is a poster of a man holding an ID card. The "C" from the word "card" has been cut off by the greenery.

interested in reading more about Ghana's ID card in 2007? Click here
have a good weekend!

tags
accra; id card ghana; nia ghana;

Stakeout!...in East Legon

So there I was working some fifty minutes ago when I hear a sound in the distance. Minutes later, and the sound comes closer--it's of a man speaking through a megaphone "SHARP YOUR KNIFE!...SHARP YOUR KNIFE!". He's a picture of the average "working class" Ghanaian who is doing his utmost to do something for himself. (Far better tha resorting to armed robbery, if you ask me!)

He was walking with his sidekick--megaphone slung over his shoulder, and clad in a sun and dust-beaten t-shirt and trousers in an ironically determined manner.

I could have sworn I heard him earlier--just as I was about to leave the house, which is some twenty minutes drive, with little traffic, from the office. That was around 8.15am.

To think that around 11.05am, he had walked the equivalent of twenty minutes drive by car, some 8 km from the Estates to the busy Spintex Road through the East Legon tunnel to my workplace was not just amazing, but a feat of epic proportions, given the weather. And he must have had some customers along the way, too.

Regrettably, I took this picture to capture the "before he arrived" and "this is him" from the office--but no go!

Maybe next time!

tags
accra;accra tales;accra by day;ghana;east legon;middle class ghana;working class ghana;

Of Voice of America Billboards, and Tetteh-Quarshie Interchange Snaps

I was at Hotel Angelica, near the famed Tetteh-Quarshie Interchange for a Public Forum today on a work-related assignment, and decided to take a few snaps. (Can you see the traffic lights and the streetlights in the distance?) This is the front of the hotel, and the one below...

...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.

tags
accra;ghana
greenery
tetteh quarshie interchange;voa

So Accra, So Platitudinously African!

When I run out of picture ideas, I refer to the platitudes that most cultures are used to of Africa;-) Except to say that this one is not as cliched...in the sense that I unwittingly captured three levels of activity:

1.the car going off to the extreme left of the picture is going somewhere

2. the "hawkers", ie the girls are selling "pure water", which in Accra--and much of the West African sub-region--is simply filtered (processed) water in sachet bags of 500ml, costing 300 cedis, or 300/9000 or $0.03! Yes, that cheap!! The girl with the blue top looks like she's putitng coins away...

3. the men walking on the pavement, most likely hawkers, are looking for prospective customers

...all against the backdrop of CEDI House,which houses the country's premier state-owned Agricultural Development Bank, and more importantly, the Bank of Ghana, as well as Ghana's Stock Exchange...

"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...

from: http://www.ghanaweb.com/GhanaHomePage/NewsArchive/photo.day.php?ID=80984

This picture was taken in the periphery of Ghana's inimitably-designed National Theatre; and the British Council which is to the left of the direction the young men are walking in. All located on one "Liberia Road".

tags:
accra;ghana;ghana stock exchange ;ghana cedi house;pure water;