OUR ROADS NEED EXPANSION AND PROPER INFRASTRUCTURE

Where Should We Park....?

This is a one of few questions that citizens who own private cars ask the Accra Metropolitan Assembly (AMA) City guards and National Disaster Management Organization (NADMO) who tow their car just because they unlawfully parked their vehicle at opposite side of the designated markings on the roads. An extract from modernghana.com as of 11th December, 2013 with the headline "Operation Let the Traffic Flow"

The Mayor of Accra gave the warning a year ago during the official launch of the "Operation let the traffic flow", he said, “It is unlawful for any person, as owner, operator, or driver, to cause or permit any vehicle to be parked in the overtime or beyond the lawful period of time in any applicable resolution, or to remain parked in any parking space unless a signal showing legal parking is displayed by the applicable adjacent parking meter".

Greater Accra like any other region is a busy place where business activities take place. Lots of businesses (stores) are scattered all over the place, especially the Accra-Central area with some businesses being owned by foreign nationals and Ghanaians. No one is disputing the idea of the operation 'let the traffic flow' slogan. But with the current roads we have in Greater Accra, and with the number of vehicles being owned by private and business persons increasing by the year, these laws are bound to be broken.

My concern is that the Mayor must embark on expansion of roads to accommodate these situations. Adequate road plans must be implemented to take care of these difficulties. I have personally witnessed the verbal exchanges that go on in that area due to the size of the road and with the parking spaces which gets filled. Some of the vehicle owners who fall prey to the law are left no choice because there are no parking spaces left because they want to purchase a particular commodity and wouldn’t spend more than ten minutes. This sometimes ends up in a fight with injuries incurred by both parties. These towing officers pounce on these drivers without listening to the pleas as to why they parked there. Some of the drivers are being sent by store owners in that area to unload their goods. Therefore, they are forced to park at an illegal space because there is no parking space for them to unload their goods.

This problem must be tackled with stern actions because it is becoming a worry to citizens and passersby and drivers as well. The country is undergoing economic problems at the moment. But I hope Dr. Alfred Okoe Vanderpuije is placing adequate measures to solve this problem. It’s been a year now and no preparation has been put to practice to solve this issue. Let’s make Greater Accra a better place and free from accidents and unnecessary fights.  

Extract taken from: m.modernghana.com 

Extract credited to : Prosper Agbenyega 

POETRY PLAY- IN THE BAG OF A WOMAN

Tonight's play promises to be a good one I must admit. I've been to a couple of Oswald's plays and I can testify that there is this uniqueness about this individual. How he thinks, sense of awareness, and a hunger to resurrect poetry performance in Ghana. I see him to be a perfectionist. Not by his physical being, but by his works. I'm talking of a winner of the WORLD POETRY CANADA INTERNATIONAL PRIZE. And his latest work in poetry is dedicated to the late African-American writer Maya Angelou.

There are lots of poets like him but the system is not paving way for most of them. But they are striving hard, which is a good thing. Don't want to delve into the hustle of a young and upcoming poets, playwright's and spoken artists for now.

In the bag of a woman as the title depicts is basically the contents in a bag of women and the hassle they go through to keep those stuff in their bags. This play is a must watch and I personally will be there.

"In the world
Of the guiltless, where everyone is guilty;
A world created
In a world of a woman that exposes treachery
hidden in darkness...
In the world
Kept in the arm...or pit of a woman
And enough
To run its own affairs...
In The Bag Of A Woman... "

By: Oswald Okaitei

This evening @ 7pm, the bag of a woman shall be
exposed @ the National Theatre...

"LONG VACATION"

So I've been off this blog for quite some number of months. It's been close to seven months I last blogged. That's a lot of time. But it's just amazing how time flies!
Obviously I need to brief you all on what has been on the news but most of you probably know them.
Concerning sports, football/soccer to be precise, my team has had a terrible season last campaign. Thanks to David Moyes for that horrendous period. It's quite unfortunate he was sacked after causing so much damage to my beloved team Manchester United. We now have a new Manager in the person of Louis Van Gaal. Great manager by all standards. 

That been said, there has also been lots of stuff that has passed during my 'seven month vacation' concerning arts, celebrity stuff (not my thing really), economic hardship, bizarre deaths/loss of famous people in Ghana and of course the World cup! Who forgets that?!

Football (friendlies and preseason) is also on going and the season is close to commencement this weekend(EPL). Other leagues across Europe are also gearing up for the new season ahead. Some of the football heavy weights have paid huge sums of money to acquire the best players at the moment. Talk of Real Madrid, Barcelona, Chelsea, PSG etc. Transfer window is still opened and various clubs are getting deals done before the window is shut.

I'm also looking forward to the great league games that will be played across Europe. And I have a feeling that Spain and probably the  German league matches will be a surprise aside England.

So a brief of what has been the headlines in the football world are firstly, Chelsea offloading David Luiz to PSG, and bringing in top quality players like Fabregas, Diego Costa and his former counter part at Athletico, Felipe Luis.
Real Madrid have also brought in World cup stars in James Rodriguez and Toni Kroos. They also offloaded their Goal keeper Diego Lopez. What a bummer!
Barcelona managed to snatch Luiz Suarez from Liverpool making their side a palatable attacking force if the front three in Neymar, Messi and Suarez are on the same pitch.
Bayern Munich also got Lewandowski from Dortmund for free. Dortmund also signed Adrian Ramos and Ciro Immobile to fill the void left by Lewy. Manchester United have also acquired the services of Lake Shaw and Ander Herrera.
City have also completed the signing of French international Eliquiam Mangala, Fernando from FC Porto.

So in conclusion, next season is going to be a great campaign in terms of football wise. Looks like top teams have been busy this summer. The transfer window is still opened and watch this space for the transfer deadline!

I'm out!