Getting Around Ghana on a Compass of Trees and Kiosks

Read Comments Comments (12)

• Uncle Mends, Takoradi 12 years ago

  About 2 months ago the President issued a directive to the Ministry of Local Gov't and DCEs to get the STREET NAMING AND PROPERTY NUMBERING SYSTEM done within 18 months. Let's hope they're working on it. The failure to compl ...
  read full comment

  About 2 months ago the President issued a directive to the Ministry of Local Gov't and DCEs to get the STREET NAMING AND PROPERTY NUMBERING SYSTEM done within 18 months. Let's hope they're working on it. The failure to complete this long overdue project is a national shame. No more excuses- this must be done ASAP.

  reply
• Pontius Pilate 12 years ago

  i wonder where the streets are to be named. this is because at least those that can be named are already named.
  
  just wondering what name to give to a wooden structure in the heart of sodom and gomorrah. hmmmmmm.
  
  like it ...
  read full comment

  i wonder where the streets are to be named. this is because at least those that can be named are already named.
  
  just wondering what name to give to a wooden structure in the heart of sodom and gomorrah. hmmmmmm.
  
  like it is said in akan "if you pull the rope and it is not forth coming then obviously something is holding it"
  
  the challenge basically is the haphazard way we put up structures. consider a scenario where naming of facilities are sequential. it starts from 1 to 10. you get to number 8 only to realize that six more structures have sprang up behind you without you knowing. that is the reality.
  
  i'm not a pessimist at all but i humbly suggest that first things must be done first. that is proper zoning with earmarked identities. this way every plot is well designated so no problem even if development starts later. and finally please enforcement is the ultimate answer.

  reply
• Agyeman. 12 years ago

  What makes the whole numbering and naming system so out of reach is the overwhelmingly informal way we do everything.Just look at Ghanaians shitting on backstreets and trashing the big gutters recklessly and you get the feeli ...
  read full comment

  What makes the whole numbering and naming system so out of reach is the overwhelmingly informal way we do everything.Just look at Ghanaians shitting on backstreets and trashing the big gutters recklessly and you get the feeling that anything to cumbersome or too demanding on their efforts will not take hold.I'm afraid this numbering system is a victim of that national malaise of lethargy.

  reply
• GHFUO, LOVE/DOR YOURSELF! 12 years ago

  1. SOLICIT HELP FROM THE PLANNING/ARCHITECT SCHOOLS IN THE VARIOUS GH UNIV.
  2. TAKE IT REGION BY REGION
  3. GET INTO A HELICOPTER. MAP OUT THE BOUNDARY OF CENTRAL REGION FOR E.G. CONSTRUCT A MAJOR HIGHWAY THAT DIVIDES THE RE ...
  read full comment

  1. SOLICIT HELP FROM THE PLANNING/ARCHITECT SCHOOLS IN THE VARIOUS GH UNIV.
  2. TAKE IT REGION BY REGION
  3. GET INTO A HELICOPTER. MAP OUT THE BOUNDARY OF CENTRAL REGION FOR E.G. CONSTRUCT A MAJOR HIGHWAY THAT DIVIDES THE REGION INTO NORTH -SOUTH, ANOTHER HIGHWAY DIVIDING EAST-WEST....CONSTRUCT STREETS IN THE SAME FASHION...SLOWLY, EVERYTHING WILL COME TOGETHER. CONSTRUCT VERTICAL N HORIZONTAL STREETS. NAME ALL THE STREETS. NUMBER ALL THE BUILDINGS. ODD NUMBERS ON THE LEFT, EVEN NUMBERS ON THE RIGHT.
  
  START WITH THE LEAST POPULATED REGION. LESS MESSY, LESS PPL, LESS DISRUPTIONS. AFTER THIS IS DONE, MORE PPL WILL BE COMPELLED TO MOVE OUT FROM OUR OVERLY CONGESTED CITIES, REGIONS.

  reply
• mensah abrampa 12 years ago

  Dont worry, guys. We'll eventually get it done even if it has to take us a century just to number buildings and name streets in Accra.That's who we are.We're too slow because our system is not structured and defies simple log ...
  read full comment

  Dont worry, guys. We'll eventually get it done even if it has to take us a century just to number buildings and name streets in Accra.That's who we are.We're too slow because our system is not structured and defies simple logic. The crux of the matter is it'd take a new set of leadership that's visionary and result oriented to get things done.
  The head, the present leadership like the previous ones, is drunk most of the time with whiskey, or too lazy,tired, womanizing,lacking fresh ideas, procrastinating or not caring when it's sober. This is the way we do it here.Ghana itself is a work in progress. We'll get the house numbering and street naming done but we wont promise or set any time limits.Just keep your fingers crossed.

  reply
• GHFUO, LOVE/DOR YOURSELF! 12 years ago

  WAT DO U MEAN BY EVENTUALLY? AFTER 57 YRS WE STILL THINK LIKE 6 YR OLD KIDS?
  
  
  
  ATTITUE & MENTALITY CHANGE
  "The head, the present leadership like the previous ones, is drunk most of the time with whiskey, or too lazy,tir ...
  read full comment

  WAT DO U MEAN BY EVENTUALLY? AFTER 57 YRS WE STILL THINK LIKE 6 YR OLD KIDS?
  
  
  
  ATTITUE & MENTALITY CHANGE
  "The head, the present leadership like the previous ones, is drunk most of the time with whiskey, or too lazy,tired, womanizing,lacking fresh ideas, procrastinating or not caring when it's sober.
  This is the way we do it here.Ghana itself is a work in progress. We'll get the house numbering and street naming done but we wont promise or set any time limits".
  BY MENSAH ABRAMPA...LISTEN, IF YOU DONT SET A TIME LIMIT, U ARE PROLLY WORKING IN A CAROUSEL.....
  YOU MUST SET LIMITS AND TARGETS TO DISCIPLINE, CHALLENGE YOURSELF. DONT LIE TO YOURSELF....

  reply
• UNMISGUIDED AFRICAN CHILD... 12 years ago

  and THANKS TO THE WAAKYE SELLER,we'd all be lost in this 21st Century....
  
  By the Way,Did The Stone-Age Era End
  Due To Lack Of Stones?
  
  Isn't Corruption The Only Institution
  That Works In Our Country,Kwasi?
  
  Take Hear ...
  read full comment

  and THANKS TO THE WAAKYE SELLER,we'd all be lost in this 21st Century....
  
  By the Way,Did The Stone-Age Era End
  Due To Lack Of Stones?
  
  Isn't Corruption The Only Institution
  That Works In Our Country,Kwasi?
  
  Take Heart Kwasi,at least:We can all find our direction to George Walker Bush Highway(in Ghana,not Washington)
  
  We have soo much to do,we need to run to catch up.
  
  Good article,it was a return to laughter....a laughter in adversity,I must say.
  
  nana-yaw
  Yours-In-The-Struggle

  reply
• KWAKUD 12 years ago

  Each 'attempt' at street naming is actually just a way of giving out a phony contract. Or spending some money on some phantom work. We can do it if we really want to.

  Each 'attempt' at street naming is actually just a way of giving out a phony contract. Or spending some money on some phantom work. We can do it if we really want to.

  reply
• SUMBRUNGU 12 years ago

  As always, a pleasure reading you.

  As always, a pleasure reading you.

  reply
• EZEKIEL 12 years ago

  Why,you asked??...because we are STUPID,LAZY and Greedy as a people.! Despite ALL the "paper booklong",we are too DAFT to do this SEEMINGLY SIMPLE EXERCISE!!!

  Why,you asked??...because we are STUPID,LAZY and Greedy as a people.! Despite ALL the "paper booklong",we are too DAFT to do this SEEMINGLY SIMPLE EXERCISE!!!

  reply
• Debbie 12 years ago

  I've lost count of the number of times my parents' white-washed walls have been marked, wiped and re-marked with that infamous black paint they use to number the houses. Good news is last time i went to Ghana, the black numbe ...
  read full comment

  I've lost count of the number of times my parents' white-washed walls have been marked, wiped and re-marked with that infamous black paint they use to number the houses. Good news is last time i went to Ghana, the black numbers had morphed into blue metal plates with white numbers and i was delighted to see this on every wall in the entire neighbourhood. Metal plates seem more permanent so hopefully this time round it will be worth memorizing my parents' house number lol

  reply
• GHFUO, LOVE/DOR YOURSELF! 12 years ago

  IVE BEEN ADVOCATING FOR THIS SINCE JAN 2011. THE LAST TIME I WAS IN GH. ITS LONG OVERDUE...

  IVE BEEN ADVOCATING FOR THIS SINCE JAN 2011. THE LAST TIME I WAS IN GH. ITS LONG OVERDUE...

  reply