Accra Shopping Mall

The Accra Shopping Mall was finally officially opened last Friday - even though there are still several spaces that are covered by the construction companies labels, but Accra has been and will continue to be patient. I guess the shops are being "dripped" to us the consumers one by one - sometimes there are tantalizing notices advertising the coming of one or another retail store, but sometimes not. So every weekend is in theory a discovery of something new?



From what I hear the rents are fairly high - at least for Accra - which has rather limited the local companies. And I do wonder how some of them are going to cover their costs, as there don't seem to be that many customers around - at least when I am there! But maybe they come in their numbers at other times... It will be interesting to see what happens over the next year or so.



I do wish that the movie theatre would be completed sometime. I guess it is the thought of being able to see a movie on a large screen that is tantalizing, instead of watching stuff on DVD (usually a pirate) or on satellite TV.



The other beef - shared by many I suspect - is the traffic control, and getting in and out of the Mall by car. I've learned my lessons the hard way; I refuse to hit the Mall after 11am on a Saturday or noon on a Sunday. Having spent nearly an hour and a half in total gridlock trying to get out twice, that was it. No more. I go there mid-morning on Saturdays... Combined with the chaos on the Spintex Road, with a not exactly wonderfully designed interchange, one does have to plan one's exit times. Will anything change or be improved? Well, we will see...