We met lots of people from America, Europe and other continents at the airport which in a way registers the point that this capital city of Ghana is not only renown as a place for national and international business conferences but is also an allure for tourists because of its delightful features.
This reporter travelled to Accra for the International Master Class Programme of the Biosciences for Farming in Africa (B4FA) Media fellowship organized for fellows from Nigeria and Ghana from Sunday 13 to Friday 18 April.
We spent the first two days of the trip wholly interviewing Ghanian Government officials, scientists and experts and also covering the African Agricultural Technology Foundation (AATF)’s annual review and planning meeting of the Pod borer resistant cowpea project.
The remaining days of field trips to research centres in Accra also afforded the media fellows opportunity to see much of the city.
President’s office close to the road!
On our way to the Cocoa Research Institute of Ghana (CRIG), which is located in New Tafo- Akim, an almost four hours drive from Accra, we drove past the office of the Government of Ghana and the President of Ghana, called The Flagstaff House in Accra.
The media fellows from Nigeria were stunned to see the office of the President of the country which also serves as his residence located so close to the road plied by all and sundry.
Not many in Nigeria have been to the Aso Villa and not everyone drives so closely or walk pass the president’s house or office because it is certainly not close to the road where every Tom Dick and Harry passes!
Mark Boye , a media Fellow from Ghana explained that those who wish to visit the President of the country can always go there to meet him.
The fellows from Nigeria surmised that such unique feature is only possible because there must be peace and no violent attacks in the city or the country as a whole.
Venue of the signing of Aburi accord
We also drove past the former presidential lodge , where the famous Aburi accord was signed.
The Aburi Accord was reached at a meeting in Aburi, Accra Ghana in January 1967 and attended by delegates of the Federal Government of Nigeria and the Eastern delegates who were led by the Biafran leader, Colonel Chukwuemeka Odimegwu Ojukwu.
The meeting was held as a last chance of preventing war but the accord however broke down because of differences from both sides and led to the Nigerian civil war.
Those of us from Nigeria who have read or heard about the accord are used to pronouncing it as ‘aabuuri’ accord or simply as spelt aburi.
However, another media fellow from Ghana, Audrey Dekalu who was with us on the trip said it is pronounced with the ‘u’ silent , what she pronounced was more of ‘Ehbri’ yeah Ghanian pronunciation you may say but she said that was the correct way of pronouncing it.
The Aburi Girls Secondary School, one of the renowned girls’ boarding schools in Ghana is not far from the former presidential lodge.
Cocoa Research Institute of Ghana (CRIG)
This is a famous cocoa research institute which has served several countries in Africa including Nigeria from when it was established in1938 as the Tafo Central Cocoa Research Station to when it was up-graded to West African Cocoa Research institute in 1944 till 1962 when it became the Cocoa Research Institute of Ghana.
It has been carrying out research on the diseases and pest of cocoa and other crops.
We had a tour of the various departments of the centre ably guided by experts there.
We also visited the Research Institute’s shop where different products made from cocoa at the institute are sold. This products range from soaps, creams, beverages, chocolates, biscuits , gin, wine to mention a few. We made some purchases at the shop.
From there we went to the cafeteria of the research centre where we were feted to a variety of Ghanaian cuisine.
This reporter stayed away from Kenke because she has heard a lot about its sour taste, which is a turn off and rather opted for Banku which was nice, it is more like Nigerian tuwo .
University of Ghana, legon
The next day we were at the university of Ghana Legon, Accra, which is about 13 kilometres north of the city centre. The Ghanian media fellows affirmed that indeed many Nigerians are schooling in the country.
Mark said many Nigerians are also in the private universities in the country, some of which are not recognized. We also learnt that the school fees they pay are heavy compared to that of their Ghanian counterparts .
On our way back to our hotel from the University , we bought fresh coconuts from sellers on the streets. The varieties of coconut in Ghana have a lot of water and soft and succulent pulp. They differ from the hard pulp varieties we have in Nigeria
One is offered straw along with the coconuts and there is a calming effect sipping the water from them.
La Tante DC 10 restaurant
This is a hotel in the form of an aero plane. Even the services and arrangement in the interior of the hotel are like when one is in an airplane or airborne. You sit down as if you are in an airplane and waitresses dressed like air hostesses attend to you.
Mark Boye told us it was actually an airplane which was later converted to a restaurant. It used to be the defunct Ghana Airways DC-10.
We also gathered it is the first airplane restaurant to be established in Africa.
Labadi Beach
We also went to the Labadi beach. However, not much was happening at this beautiful beach when we visited. We were told it is much busier during weekends and not too active during week days. We visited on a Thursday.
Independence square
Another place of interest is the Independence Square also known as the Black star square. The square contains monuments of Ghana’s independence struggles. It is very large and is surpassed in size in the whole world only by the Tiananmen Square in China.
The square comprises of the Independence Arch and the Black Star Monument. It is usually the venue for the Country’s Independence Day parades which is marked on 6th of March every year.
Arts and crafts village
The Arts and Crafts village or market is made up several stalls selling a wide array of things portraying Ghana’s rich culture and artifacts. There are Kente , kente prints, ornaments, furniture, jewelleries and souvenirs from all over Ghana for one to pick from.
Nigerian cuisine
We did not miss Nigerian food during our stay because a Nigerian with a restaurant called Mama Oluchi always came around to serve us Nigerian dishes in addition to our meals at Alarissa hotel.
She prepares her vegetable , ogbono and Egusi soup with the dexterity known with women from the south-east of the country. Infact the first day we were served pounded yam and Vegetable soup most of us knew without being told that it was prepared by a Nigerian.
Mama Oluchi is one of the many Nigerians living in Ghana and engaged in its various economic activities.
