"Flashing orange" traffic lights

Every morning when I go to work, I feel the tension mounting as I approach Abeka Junction. And I hope each time that the traffic lights at this major intersection will be switched from "flashing orange" or that there will be someone controlling traffic.

Alas, most days it's everyone for him or herself, with the trotros and taxi drivers honking their
horns at anyone who wishes to take a slightly more cautious approach to the junction. No doubt a few rude thoughts about the "abrewa obroni" driver will pass through their minds...

But it still doesn't help the stress.

Ghana and Young African Leaders Forum

interesting that there is very little commentary about the Young African Leaders Forum, or the people who are attending, at least that I have read, or heard about...   

It is somewhat ironic, that apart from a brief mention on Joy this morning, plus a brief news story about one of the participants  there just doesn't seem to be much hooplaa...  I am glad though that one of the Ghanaian bloggers in the diaspora chose to mention and comment about it .

Maybe we are too preoccupied with the STX deal?

Personally I do wonder how the Ghanaian young leaders were selected? And by whom?  Are they really and truly representatives of the emerging leaders who are coming out of Ghana?

No answers... only questions at this point

Ghanaian chocolate in short supply?

I am not a true chocaholic, but I do like chocolate, so almost every Saturday, usually towards the end of my shopping for household supplies and groceries, I usually try to treat myself, and those members of the household who are around to some chocolate.

Usually this is one of the varieties produced by the Ghana Cocoa Processing Company, and more often than not, there are a lot of bars of Kingsbite the milk chocolate in a red wrapper, since that seems to be the favourite of most.

Personally I like some of the other varieties - lemon, orange, groundnut, coffee, or the two darker ones, but those are mostly for me.

Or they used to be.  Now I am happy for anything I can get.

And lately I haven't been able to get any Ghanaian chocolate/  Plus I don't see much of it being sold on the streets by traders walking through the traffic stopped at intersections or lights or when there are police or traffic guards.

I think I heard that the Cocoa Processing Company factory was going to be closed or something like that for a while, but surely not for so long?

So in the meantime I have to make do with the imported varieites - and though I enjoy them, somehow they do taste different, and I yearn for that taste of the tropical forest processed locally!

Just a small shortage; nothing really significant.

But it does make me feel rather sad that I can't easily buy Ghanaian chocolate right now.

"Do you have change?"

One of the most frustrating aspects of engaging in any kind of monetary transaction in Ghana has to do with a disconnect between the amount you are charged as a customer, the amount of money you handover, and the change you expect to get - if you did not provide the exact amount in payment.  

It has always been the case that those selling on a table, or in a very small shop, might not have the exact change for you, but I often find that these are the very people who will ask you to wait while they go and make sure that you are given what is due to you.

Try a slightly bigger shop, or even a big supermarket, and I have several examples, and then the real palaver begins.  If you are lucky you will be asked "Do you have one cedi, and then I can give you five?"  At other times you will be told a price which is rounded up, so that the shop or the assistant will not be obliged to give  you some one Ghana pesewa coins which of course they do not have!  And sometimes you will just be told, "Sorry, no change" with the implication being that you just take whatever there is, and forget about the rest!   

On more than one occasion I have asked shop assistants whether they are not given "floats" at the beginning of the day, or even at regular intervals.   Responses can vary:  a blank stare is one, another is "it is finished", so the buyer is left annoyed and frustrated.

One of my responses, simply because I know the above is going to happen, whether at ShopRite, Game, Sarlinesta or whatever, is to be prepared!  So instead of always relying on the more convenient ATM machines, I try to find time to go physically to a bank, and ask for a packet of 100 one Ghana cedi notes.  Plus coins - in  50, 20, 10, 5 and 1 pesewa denominations. 

Well, usually I manage to get the one Ghana cedi notes - though on my last visit to my main branch of one of the older banks, I was told there were no "ones" and when I complained, I was told that the currency was given to them by the Bank of Ghana so I should just take whatever there was.

Another, older bank is usually OK for whatever notes you want, plus coins, and they even manage to stock one Ghana pesewas which are almost a rarity these days. And for a while one of the newer "Nigerian" banks would even provide me with a packet of brand new notes :-).

Not too surprisingly my purse/wallet seems to get heavier as I try to anticipate my needs for change during my work and shopping days!

But for shops and banks and the Bank of Ghana:  have any of you heard of customer needs and wants?