Here is a picture of a gigantic building in the shape of the Ashanti stool (a very prominent shape used all over Ghana) which was built to house the presidential and government offices in Accra. However, the current government is from a different party today and can't approve of this structure built by a past government, so now the building sits empty. Great way of spending tax payers money.
Kumasi is calmer, more easy going, and more lush than Accra. On the flip side, it generally has less restaurants (although Moti Mahal, the best Indian restaurant in Ghana, is in Kumasi), less shops, and more malaria – nevertheless some locals like it more than Accra.
I’ve been told Mr. Opuni, who reports to me, is second in line to become king one day; it’s interesting to know that royalty is your direct report – however it does feel uncomfortable at times. We’ve talked about it, and he is a chief or close to be chief of his tribe which makes part of the bigger Ashanti people and yes he would be second in line, but this title is shared with all the others seconds in line from all the other tribes that make up the Ashanti kingdom – I doubt I will see him crowned king – but if he ever is, I better become an honorary Ashanti citizen. I believe we have a mix of a cordial-good relationship and we make an effective team: After shouting and screaming to get things done and not happening, I turn to my royal friend for support. He murmurs words in Tui (Ashanti language) and things get finished faster than a speeding bullet (which wouldn’t be so fast in Ghana, but still a bullet).
Getting back on the road, the distance between Accra and Kumasi is about 117km or about 70 miles, and in normal conditions one would expect to make the trip in no more than 1.5 hours – this would help economic development and make life easier in this difficult country. However, as expected, this is not the case. I usually go to Kumasi by plane and getting there is like playing Russian roulette; 10% of the time there will be something wrong with the plane so the flight will be canceled – not very comforting knowing that there are only two planes covering this route and they are always the same ones that break down. Anyways, on one occasion it was an emergency that I get to Kumasi, the flight was canceled, so I had to hit the road. We left Accra at 6am and arrived to Kumasi by 2pm – what is supposed to be a 1.5 hour journey took us 8 hours simply because the road is divided into 2/3 road and 1/3 is something I would not have a name for in English. It is easily the worst road I have ever been on and it’s not even in the mountains, just plains!
In the middle of the journey, there is however, a resting stop with some descent local food joints, cafeteria, and restrooms. I wanted to have a Malta Guinness (non-alcoholic brewed beverage) to go for the road and ventured into the difficult task of asking for anything in Ghana. The conversation went like this:
Alan – Could you please give me a malta?
Bartender – For here or to go?
Alan – To go
Bartender – No you can’t have it as you have to return the bottle (in Ghana everything is still bottled in glass, consumers return the glass for it to be reused and get a refund from the companies that make them).
Alan – No problem I’ll pay for the bottle. Normally you sell it for $1.5, I’ll pay you $2 and keep the bottle.
Bartender – No, I’m not sure how much the bottle costs
Alan – I really want to have a Malta Guinness, I’ll give you 3! (I’m starting to get agitated – I work for the company who produces Malta Guinness, the bottle cost is no more than 0.2)
Bartender – No, I can’t.
Alan – How about pouring the malta into one of those plastic cups next to the smoothie machine? Will you sell it to me then?
Bartender – No unless you also buy the smoothie.
Alan – Are you shitting me?!?!, what the @#$%& place is this! Why don’t you want to sell! Why don’t you want to make money! Why do you want to stay poor forever! Why don’t you use your brain!
At this point, I signaled the others that were with me in the car that we were leaving immediately – I completely lost it… on the road to Kumasi.
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