Atlantis FM in Accra

Out in town. Remembering, also, how beautiful Accra is.

How often do we find radio stations being located in such scenic places, including a beautiful tree gracing its front?

Sent from my BlackBerry 10 smartphone.

A Happy World Consumer Right's Day?

*HAPPY WORLD **#CONSUMER** RIGHTS DAY*>>

15 March is a day to remind consumers of their right to complain for more effective and efficient public services. Are YOU aware of YOUR rights? #15March

On Thursday, I had the priviledge of attending a policy roundtable on consumer rights, which was organised by CUTS--a consumer protection NGO working in areas of consumer protection, trade and development, competition policy and law, economic regulation and good governance.

Present were regulatory agencies of Public Utilities Regulatory Commission; Food and Drugs Authority; National Communications Authority, and other civil society organisations. They offered frank views on the role of the regulator in protecting the consumer.

I believe there will be important follow-ups from this meeting, with CUTS playing an important role in sustaining the platform.

When #Graphic advertises #Voltic Sachet Water. . .

When you think of drinking #water in #Ghana, you are supposed to think of #Voltic, which is known for having provided bottled water for years in this country.

But it also produces #sachetwater, which is a "staple" of many a #westAfrican economy. I must say this is the first time I have seen it advertising its sachet water. Is it an indication of #badtimes for the company?

_________________________________________________________ sent from my Samsung tablet. . .
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*mob: +233.268.687.653/+233.243.111.789 __________________________________________________________ ekbensah DotNet: Regional integration Intelligence| West Africa-ECOWAS | Communications | Civil society __________________________________________________________

Welcome to Oxford Street Mall, welcome Big Capital!

#Capitalism has a new home: #Ghana, where malls spring up faster than you can say "is that another #Lebanese retail outfit?".

Oxford Shopping Mall is a new one, boasting five floors. #Shoprite is already running. Quick! Run and go spend. !!:-\

I guess the only consolation now is that in the competition between Accra Mall, A&C Plaza, Marina Mall and Oxford Street Mall, there will be some sense of discrete units of the population aggregated in certain parts of Accra.

As to whether this will be a boon to the horrendous Christmas traffic, the jury is out on that one!

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Sent by WhatsApp

Picked up your Neighbourhood paper?

I know it has been more than a while. I am around, just experiencing a LOT of real life, including following up on new, indigenous projects like this one.

_________________________________________________________ sent from my Samsung tablet. . .
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*mob: +233.268.687.653/+233.243.111.789 __________________________________________________________ ekbensah DotNet: Regional integration Intelligence| West Africa-ECOWAS | Communications | Civil society __________________________________________________________

What if we could Aggregate our Choice of...Food?

In a country that seems to depend a lot on hope, Ghanaians will be happy to know that technology is slowly-displacing this more-ephemeral of sensations to one predicated on practicality.

Ghanaians have been using social media long enough to know of blog, and news aggregators. But what if we could aggregate our choice of food?

Well, hello Ghana, hello food!  Actually: no pun intended. “Hellofood” is the latest and newest thing to hit town—or rather, our taste buds. It’s an exciting new way of ensuring we have our food orders delivered safely, conveniently; and easily into our homes.

Ghanaians love their food, and in an age quasi-obsessed with aggregation and choice, convenience can only come in the form of Hellofood!

Ghana Police on watch...

...on #spintexRoad. Traffic flow is supa-dupa! Give it up for them:-D


------------------Sent from ekbensah jr's nokia e63
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Check your Gas prices!

If you ever had any doubt as to what to pay for filling your gas, the Ghana Cylinder Manufacturing Company (GCMC) may not have a dedicated website to finding out, but I must personally say their efficiency is assured!

You can find out more about them here: http://www.energymin.gov.gh/?page_id=136


Keep safe -- handling your gas!

It's Friday! Time to Step out!

It's become a bit of a cliché to claim Ghanaians go out in style, but thing is the women probably are more stylish than we men! Check out the variety of styles and colours in these designs the women are wearing. Taken on a Sunday, which is the traditional Church day, I was sure to capture all sorts of colours and designs that probably make up the beautiful kaleidoscope of Ghana's culture.

Make your weekend safe! And, might I add, great to be back!

Ghana Votes, #GhanaDecides!

It is election day, and while there have been reports elsewhere of difficulties in voting, overall, voting has been pretty smooth, with orderly lines.

Someone is just saying behind me that this is the "shortest line" he has seen. Well...

When Micro-Narratives are Written by Coverage of a Collapsed Building in Accra

This morning, I was still in my pyjamas when I caught the electrifying speech of newly-re-elected President of the United States Barack Obama. Little did one know that a few hours later--right here in Accra--a narrative would be written,opening up a whole new debate about the country and its attention to regulation--or lack thereof. Coming a few weeks before our general election on 7 December, one can only hope it pricks the consciences of the policy-makers and those who run the Accra metropolis day-by-day. Pictures taken by a facebooker Kobby Blay are posted below to give a sense of the impact.

I cannot help but end with what Journalist at Graphic Communications Samuel K Obour stated on his Facebook status earlier today:

Samuel K. Obour

about an hour ago

I began the day with a lot of enthusiasm and excitement, but news of the Melcom building collapse has left me devastated and confused. It's indeed been a terrible day.
I join other well-meaning Ghanaians in praying for souls of those who died in this disaster. 

I especially pray for strength for bereaved families.

Going forward, we must ensure, as progressive Ghanaians, that all necessary measures are taken to rigorously and fully investigate this disaster, and that decisive punitive action is taken against those found to have contributed directly or indirectly to it.
Never again must we experience such a catastrophe in this country.
God bless our homeland Ghana.

If God can bless the USA, God will certainly bless Ghana, too. 

As you look for #Melcolmcollapse on social media, please keep checking http://www.citifmonline.com  for dedicating special news sections on-air and online to the tragedy.

28 Aug 2006 (first major Load-Management in Accra); 28 Aug, 2012...West Africa Gas Pipeline Shuts down?

I am no conspiracy theorist, but if I were a numbers man, I would find this terribly coincidental.

First: 28 August, 2006, I post this on this blog:

"Ghana is, in effect, a hydro-dependent state, predicating its energy survival on rainfall into the dam that is generated into electricity. Currently, we supply electricity to some of our West African neighbours of Togo and Benin, whilst buying some of it from Cote d'Ivoire (according to engineer who spoke on the Accra-based English-speaking private radio station CITI 97.3FM) this morning.
However, as from 28 August--yesterday--the country has been compelled to undergo what Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) and Volta Regional Authority (VRA) [that supervises/manages the distribution of electricity in the country's Eastern Region] call "National Shedding" Programme.
Although it is expected that rains will fall in the country, the rainfall expected this cool season (July-October) has been very little as compared to the earlier months, where there were thunderstorms almost twice a week in the country (April-June)
The equation is: no rain = no electricity. Therefore, by putting domestic consumers on this "load management" programme, where the capital--divided into six zones--will experience electricity black-outs from 6am-6pm, and 6pm-6am respectively every other third day, energy will be saved for the next fifteen days.-- from: http://accradailyphoto.blogspot.com/2006/08/this-gargantuan-dam-provides-ghana.html

Four years later, the West Africa Gas Pipeline (which sends gas to Ghana, Nigeria, Benin, and Togo) posts this on its website:

Ghana, Accra, (August 28, 2012) - The West African Gas Pipeline Company (WAPCo) operator of the West African Gas Pipeline (WAGP) system has shut down the pipeline system after experiencing a loss of pressure around the Lome segment of the pipeline this morning.

WAPCo has subsequently stopped all gas deliveries to its onshore stations and is working closely with the government agencies and other relevant organisations to investigate the cause of loss of pressure and to ensure safety while rectifying the situation.
For further information please contact:
Mrs. Harriet Wereko-Brobby
General Manager, Corporate Affairs
Telephone: +233 244  334 510
Email: hwerekobrobby@wagpco.comWebsite: www.wagpco.com 

While I leave the mind to boggle in peace, allow me to remind those in Ghana currently experiencing the load-shedding to avail themselves to the number in the picture I captured of our daily this morning.

Whatever we may think about the National Load Shedding, at least we have an idea WHEN it will be off--even if "being off" can go off on its own tangent, if you see what I mean!

Keep safe!

Fire!...by the Accra-Tema Motorway...where is the EPA?

Yesterday evening, I saw this scene of a young kid--around 10yrs--"managing" fire of this magnitude near the Accra-Tema motorway.

Now at the best of times, the motorway is not the most abiding of places for even an adult -- let alone a kid. Never mind the fact that there was serious danger, what with the second-hand tyres piled up nearby, and the fire just by the motorway!

Imagine if that fire had gone out of control? Apart from the habitual shaking-of-the-head (a typical refrain in this country!), I could only wonder where on Earth the Environmental Protection Agency policy on this is?

Sure, it does have a website, but how is its public education? How many people even know that you are NOT supposed to burn material near a motorway. Sure, it might be common-sense, but let us face it: it sure may be common...but not EVERYONE has it. In this respect, a little critical public outreach and education should go some way in people unlearning bad, bad practises...like these!

WAKE UP, EPA!

Here's some information about contacting them. Taken from their website:

Accra East Region

The Regional Officer

Community 22 Tema Greater Accra P. O. Box AS 11 , Ashiaman Ghana accraeast.region@epa.gov.gh 0303 310009 / 0303 312012 http://www.epa.gov.gh Working Hours Monday to Friday 0800 to 1700 Hours

Flagstaff House: Present in Google Maps when the White House is not!

This revelation from the first-ever Africa Media FORUM on Geoinformation Systems was too juicy to leave to oneself.

So now you know how very seriously the US security services take their security--and that of their most important man...!

Happy October! Happy new month!

I am alive! Yes, I am alive. If you are reading on my Trials and Tribulations... blog, allow me to just say that apart from living life to the full, some serious tectonic changes have taken place in my life seriously obviating the ability and desire to write full-blown entries. 

July is too long a time to have written an entry. Let me just say that it is a new month, bringing a lot of hope and excitement in my life--so be prepared to read more entries of life in Ghana. There's so much going on you would not believe. 

For my Accra Daily blog, I want to thank my loyal readers who keep coming back to read old entries, or who have just uncovered--or discovered--the blog. There are many pictures waiting to grace the blog, and they shall do so this month!

With regard to my Africa Union Citizen blog, let me just say that a paucity of entries is far from a reflection of no-work. I have written quite a bit on the African Union for the past couple of months--just that I thought it was not always necessary to post the entries on that specific blog. Instead, let me direct you to the site where you can find those entries: http://www.modernghana.com/columnist/EmmanuelKBensahJr

I still love Ghana very much; I still love taking pictures of Accra; and I very much love writing about the AU. 

Expect so much more this month--and when you think I am not delivering, write me: ekbensahATekbensah.net.

See you on the other side!

Psst...The picture of SMART TV is a note-to-self about getting smarter on my blogging!;-)

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New airline to hit Ghana 21st september

At a time one is seeing domestic airlines like fly540 advertising rates around 50usd to Cote d'ivoire, this new development is highly encouraging!

Rest in Peace Mr.President of Ghana, Prof. JEA Mills

Am currently at 37 military hospital--one of our hospitals that has featured regularly in Accra Daily Photo.

The one-week mourning commences today as a sign of respect to the late Professor John Evans Atta Mills. Whatever people may have thought of him as a political animal, one thing stands clear: he was a dedicated, honest, and humble man.

Acquaintances and colleagues from all over the world have contacted me to offer their condolences. This humbles me for if Mills had been poorly-regarded, the story might have been different. To be contacted by non-Ghanaians simply because my President has passed on is as much food-for-thought as it is about how we must in our private lives seek to maintain a sense of integrity, honesty, and principle which the 21st century world seems to often encourages us to elude.

Rest in peace, dear Sir. You go to a better place. Continue the prayers for our stubborn-but-dear nation: the one we only have.


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One of the Reasons for Month-Long Absence: Mining

A fairly-prosaic picture like this is unlikely to excite you -- unless you get off by watching conference pictures of people speaking.

If you're fairly normal (with an eccentric streak like myself), then you'd take a look at the banner to get a sense of the nature of the meeting.

It was the "Pan-African Civil Society Networks Meeting on the Africa Mining Vision". I will deliberately be short on specifics as I do not believe this blog to be the platform to pontificate on the issue of mining, or the continental aspiration--known as the Africa Mining Vision.

Suffice-to-say, mining is a very big issue in this country. There are a number of civil society organisations that every day seek to shed light on the practises and what it means for mining countries like Ghana.

If you are not in Ghana (and even if you are), you might have missed the conference. It's not difficult to catch up at all:

• website: http://www.twnafrica.org, or http://csoafricaminingvision.twnafrica.org
• Google Plus: https://plus.google.com/u/0/events/cu71mo8pea3eu1ghe6tdvjsfi4s/100486382858452552990
• Youtube: http://www.youtube.com/twnafrica
• Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/twnafrica
• ...and finally on Google Currents: https://www.google.com/producer/editions/CAowh6TpAQ/cso_conference_on_africa_mining_vision

Yes, I have been a way for a while. Busy...in real life. And still LOVING Google.

Thanks for your patience and understanding, and for your continue patronage of my many blog entries of Accra and Ghana! 

I am not back; I am around!;-)

Yet-Another Example of Ghana's Poor Customer Service

How does one reconcile loving one's country and demonstrating this love with a blog but contemporraneously showing the underbelly of the country? Very easily, in fact, for no society is perfect and to expect to show only the best sides of my capital and my country would be this side short of ludicrous.

On a daily basis, each and every single member of the Ghanaian middle class is confronted by the dark-side of Ghanaian culture. Never mind the Ghana Mean Time, where a lot of us always arrive later than a scheduled-programme, or the vision-less and clueless nature of most of our politicians to emphatically-act on important areas of development.

I'm talking about the smaller-but-important aspects of our daily life, such as customer service. It has gotten a lot better, but there remains much that needs to be done--as exemplified by this picture here that shows dog food alright, but dog food that is dusty! The dust is so visible it was picture-worthy--and that's why it's here!

This dog food is being sold in a lovely, swanky, pharmacy in my neighbourhood, which has all the works: good-looking ladies with a smile that offer great customer service. But what I can't reconcile, either, is how that is possible when they are also stacking goods like these that are dusty, and continue to be. I know--as I was there the other day.

Sadly, the dog food was still dusty--many weeks after I took this picture! Dare I tell the good ladies at the pharmacy?

Make your weekend good and safe!

Desperately Seeking a Job in Accra, or Seeking Desperate Job-Workers in Accra?

It's moments like these that elicit a shake of the head (better-known as "SMH") and a wry smile. I believe it is only in this beautiful-yet-flawed country of mine that someone would post something like this in a public place, and pay little attention to what their words imply:

"A company seeks desperate workers urgently..."??;-)

It would be funny if it were not so tragic! Truth is there are many job-seekers out there who are desperate. And some have families.

On another note, I'm not quite sure where in this world--never mind Ghana--that one can earn between GHS450(around 250USD) to GHS1000 (around USD555.5) without any experience??

The mind doesn't boggle in this instance; it positively is clueless!