We've not had water flowing through our mains pipes for more than a year - due to construction of large pipelines from Weija in the west of Accra to the east of Accra. We saw the big pipes being put into the group - and in fact our road was blocked for a week. Then there were some technicians who did something like connecting smaller pipes to it, and then the road was covered, and ... and ... no water...
Except in the last couple of weeks there would be mornings when the road outside the house (not paved) would be covered in a large pool of water, which every single vehicle would try to avoid - not with much success I must add.
And then we heard that people from the water company were able to connect houses/compounds to the mains supply for a specified sum... We waited. And eventually someone in an official uniform showed up, named the amount, but when asked about an official receipt, the impression was given that there wouldn't be one.
D and others have been to the local district office of the water company to see if we can be reconnected officially. I dredged up some old bills - feeling rather guilty that I hadn't paid anything since September 2008. Not to worry: we were actually in credit! and officials even said they were impressed that we paid on account so regularly.
But have we been connected yet? Noooo... not yet.
The saga continues, and we will buy another tanker load of water at the weekend. Sigh.
Wednesday, February 25, 2009
Friday, January 16, 2009
Exchange students and gender balance
I remember reading a blog (http://hollisramblings.blogspot.com/2008/07/giving-back-volunteers-flood-into-ghana.html) which commented on volunteers coming to Ghana during summer holidays and being struck at how true this seemed.
Last semester was an extreme case at the institution where I work - with less than 10% male visiting exchange students - and though this semester there are more males, the percentage isn't that much over 20%. I asked one of the students why she thought this happened, and she made the comment, passed on from someone who had made some kind of study of this, that the males like going to Europe!
I wonder whether this is an indication of the feminisation of development - and I am not criticising this by any means, but I do wonder whether this is a trend which will continue in a job market. I think I will ask a bit more, as this does intrigue me.
Last semester was an extreme case at the institution where I work - with less than 10% male visiting exchange students - and though this semester there are more males, the percentage isn't that much over 20%. I asked one of the students why she thought this happened, and she made the comment, passed on from someone who had made some kind of study of this, that the males like going to Europe!
I wonder whether this is an indication of the feminisation of development - and I am not criticising this by any means, but I do wonder whether this is a trend which will continue in a job market. I think I will ask a bit more, as this does intrigue me.
Saturday, December 27, 2008
Ghana presidential runoff elections
The presidential runoff elections here in Ghana are taking place on Sunday 28 December, and I am still ambivalent as to who should win. I don't have the right to vote, but I can still express my opinion. Once again the "special" elections which were held earlier in the week for those who are on duty on the actual election day seem to have had some issues - mostly in terms of much larger numbers of people voting than in the previous time.
Then there is the business about the borders being closed from Friday. I don't understand why this was necessary, though I suppose it is better that it is all of them rather than just those with Togo! I guess it just means that some people will slip in on the unauthorised routes - instead of doing it legally.
And there are other worrying stories - not proven, but discussed at length on the talk shows - which seem to indicate that both the NPP and the NDC are really desperate to win. And will they accept the totals that are released by the Electoral Commission? Or will there be cries of "we wus robbed!"?
Then there is the business about the borders being closed from Friday. I don't understand why this was necessary, though I suppose it is better that it is all of them rather than just those with Togo! I guess it just means that some people will slip in on the unauthorised routes - instead of doing it legally.
And there are other worrying stories - not proven, but discussed at length on the talk shows - which seem to indicate that both the NPP and the NDC are really desperate to win. And will they accept the totals that are released by the Electoral Commission? Or will there be cries of "we wus robbed!"?
Friday, December 5, 2008
Two more days to Ghana's election
Two more days to the Ghana elections on Sunday 7 December 2008. Today was noisy – with all sorts of groups and floats passing by with brass bands and/or loudspeakers proclaiming the latest party songs. The traffic was awful – just like the morning and evening traffic jams but all day. And initially I couldn’t figure out why, and then it clicked. The NPP (New Patriotic Party) were having a mega-rally at Accra Academy, which is on the main Mallam highway, which I suspect was causing total chaos and not just a traffic jam, but probably gridlock! So all the "wise" drivers decided to go on the alternative route instead. Luckily I got out relatively early this morning to do some shopping.
Ironically it rained twice today – extremely unusual for early December in Ghana. I wonder whether this is a sign from on high? Though of what?
Ironically it rained twice today – extremely unusual for early December in Ghana. I wonder whether this is a sign from on high? Though of what?
Tuesday, November 18, 2008
No electricity, no vote?
How I wish that people would respond this way, but I know it is not going to happen. Despite all the frustrations of constant power outages, everyone just grumbles, and gets on with life. Those who have the money use their generators - and they are noisy, especially if one is not a good sleeper, and the thing is less than 20 metres away from one's bedroom.
The rest resort to rechargeable lamps (but most don't last all night) or kerosene lanterns (the quality seems to have definitely gone done since I came to Ghana) or candles. Each has its own issues. With a rechargeable lamp, you do need electricity, unless it's solar, in which case you need the sun, and to bring it in before dusk or before it rains. Yes, I have forgotten my solar lantern until after dark, and yes, it has been drenched during a tropical rain.
Charging the rechargeable lanterns does take about 12 hours, so even if you take to work, it probably won't fully charge. Ditto using a cigarette lighter in the car - which I did last week in desperation. Solution: we now have five rechargeable lanterns, plus one solar. And for the rest, it is the kerosene lanterns, candles and flashlights/torches.
Buying kerosene isn't straightforward either - or maybe it is just that I find it quite difficult to get a hold of, involving visits to several fuel stations, and wasting lots of fuel in the process. Sigh...
Not surprising electricity supply is on my mind as last week we had no power for almost 72 hours - including three nights. And yesterday the lights were off for more than 12 hours - again by the time I came home, and for me it makes evenings tense, rather than relaxing and a time to wind down. I can't read for long, and at a certain stage there is nothing else to do but wash, go to bed, listen to the radio and go to sleep. Not my idea of a particular productive time! I was NOT a happy bunny
Yet no one seems to publicly mind. I guess that is why I would like to see a handwritten or handpainted sign that says "no electricity, no vote?"
The rest resort to rechargeable lamps (but most don't last all night) or kerosene lanterns (the quality seems to have definitely gone done since I came to Ghana) or candles. Each has its own issues. With a rechargeable lamp, you do need electricity, unless it's solar, in which case you need the sun, and to bring it in before dusk or before it rains. Yes, I have forgotten my solar lantern until after dark, and yes, it has been drenched during a tropical rain.
Charging the rechargeable lanterns does take about 12 hours, so even if you take to work, it probably won't fully charge. Ditto using a cigarette lighter in the car - which I did last week in desperation. Solution: we now have five rechargeable lanterns, plus one solar. And for the rest, it is the kerosene lanterns, candles and flashlights/torches.
Buying kerosene isn't straightforward either - or maybe it is just that I find it quite difficult to get a hold of, involving visits to several fuel stations, and wasting lots of fuel in the process. Sigh...
Not surprising electricity supply is on my mind as last week we had no power for almost 72 hours - including three nights. And yesterday the lights were off for more than 12 hours - again by the time I came home, and for me it makes evenings tense, rather than relaxing and a time to wind down. I can't read for long, and at a certain stage there is nothing else to do but wash, go to bed, listen to the radio and go to sleep. Not my idea of a particular productive time! I was NOT a happy bunny
Yet no one seems to publicly mind. I guess that is why I would like to see a handwritten or handpainted sign that says "no electricity, no vote?"
Friday, October 24, 2008
Wednesday, October 8, 2008
Hairdressers and the little things in life
Funny how small things matter more as I grow older, and probably more stuck in my ways, and maybe lacking the variety there used to be. It was time to cut my hair – I really shouldn’t leave it for more than four or five weeks, but sometimes I do for all sorts of reasons – including procrastination, feeling I have other more important things to do and/or spend my money on…
When I first came to Accra I asked a fellow obroni about hairdressers that did hair for non-Africans and basically settled on one at Osu. There were changes and a few times I went somewhere else, as one of the staff set up her own place. It was a bit of a pain though to go rather further, although the problem was more mine than anyone else’s.
Having decided it was that time, I called my usual place in Osu – on both landline and mobile, and no answer…. Did it again a few days later, and the same… So I decided to physically go there, which is what I would have done at first not so long ago when there weren’t mobile phones and landlines for the most part didn’t work.
It was all locked up, and no signs anywhere, and when I asked from the shops next door, I was told they had closed down – in September? Looking back, I guess I wasn’t too surprised, as there hadn’t seemed to be many customers around whenever I went. I guess there are more alternatives now, and perhaps different ways of being known – plus the lure of the new Accra mall does attract a lot of foreigners.
I was sad though, as I always found people there pleasant and relatively efficient. And A was always full of chat, which was rather nice… I wonder what she is doing – is she in Ghana? Or outside with her family?
Oh, well, found another alternative – again somewhere that was mentioned to me a long time ago, but I never followed up. Very convenient to work though, which is always a plus. And when I went in to make enquiries about making an appointment, they definitely won brownie points by suggesting that they could do my hair immediately. I emerged rather happier with myself, and as others were complimentary on the result, that made my day!
When I first came to Accra I asked a fellow obroni about hairdressers that did hair for non-Africans and basically settled on one at Osu. There were changes and a few times I went somewhere else, as one of the staff set up her own place. It was a bit of a pain though to go rather further, although the problem was more mine than anyone else’s.
Having decided it was that time, I called my usual place in Osu – on both landline and mobile, and no answer…. Did it again a few days later, and the same… So I decided to physically go there, which is what I would have done at first not so long ago when there weren’t mobile phones and landlines for the most part didn’t work.
It was all locked up, and no signs anywhere, and when I asked from the shops next door, I was told they had closed down – in September? Looking back, I guess I wasn’t too surprised, as there hadn’t seemed to be many customers around whenever I went. I guess there are more alternatives now, and perhaps different ways of being known – plus the lure of the new Accra mall does attract a lot of foreigners.
I was sad though, as I always found people there pleasant and relatively efficient. And A was always full of chat, which was rather nice… I wonder what she is doing – is she in Ghana? Or outside with her family?
Oh, well, found another alternative – again somewhere that was mentioned to me a long time ago, but I never followed up. Very convenient to work though, which is always a plus. And when I went in to make enquiries about making an appointment, they definitely won brownie points by suggesting that they could do my hair immediately. I emerged rather happier with myself, and as others were complimentary on the result, that made my day!
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