CHILDREN'S WARD AT A HOSPITAL IN ACCRA

The 3 young medical students moved in to surround the rather large oversized cot of crying child in obvious discomfort . They mulled around the child whose demeanour was so full of anguish, despair and discomfort listened to them test their little found knowledge from short lived paediatrics training resulting in opinions or solutions which were neither here nor there.
Each taking turns with the stethoscopes to diagnose doom or gloom or satisfy their curiosities in understanding what gibberish was on the patient’s medical charts. Still mulling, it soon dawned on me they had no idea about what they were looking for , or any clues about the solutions to end the despair of a suffering child.
Not even a pat on the back or an attempt to engage the child in a humane manner which could alleviate this Lab rat feeling (surrounded by 3 men in white coats wielding shining instrument dangling from their necks).
Nooooo… that’s not what we do around her!  We are Doctors! Ehem;  ehem, sorry Ooooh. Medical students soon to be fully fledged Doctors only deal with people on a professional level not on a social. We would otherwise be called social workers. Isn’t social work part of what we do as medical doctors?  I thought out loud. Erm , Mmmmm, yes it is but not on the single spine; you would need a neurologist FOR that. A ‘NEURO WHAT’ who I asked? What’s the link between  single spine and Neurology?
Welllllll, it has something to do with the spine INNIT'?... to be continued OR NOT
allotey@accralomi.com © Accra, 2010

AGE IS JUST A NUMBER

http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2011/mar/14/tunstall-town-worst-oldest-team

A great story about the tricks your age can play on you. At 44 I sometimes think I am 18 with all of my previous athletic prowess intact. I am reminded quickly on saturday evenings after Tennis and Social or Sundays mornings after volleyball and Waakye. The pain, always a reminder of one's forgetfulness and physical state.
I had what is called an Anterior Cruciate Ligament injury about 15 years ago playing Basketball for the London Polytechnic team, (previously known as Regent Street Polytechnic) the only link was that we trained at the premises of the then London Polytechnic on Harley Street end of Regents Street. It was a club coached by Alan Tillot run by an elderly Saville Row tailor called Harry Errington who was also an European Basketball official. This man travelled around Europe officiating basketball games from the table. Please check link below.
(http://www.theguardian.com/news/2004/dec/30/guardianobituaries.firefighters). Harry had a wonderful sense of humor. His always question to me was if I had found a rich widow yet, a question to which I always answered ' No Harry, I am waiting for you to find one first'.

We did not win a lot games but we never lost the fight. Our biggest matches were against the Metropolitan Police either at their Training School in Hendon, North London or at our home court behind Paddington Station. Those battles always ended up with a scuffle or two between some of my white middle class team mates who did not take kindly to being asked 'what Council Estate they came from'. I never took offense to any of this type of heckling planned to keep you off your 'A' game because I did not come a Council Estate neither was I supposed to be part of anything they could brand that was supposed to be lower than they were. Without blowing my own horn I still was able to amass my fare share of points, rebounds, assists and blocks in my usual all action fashion. Ohhh those were the days. 
allotey@accralomi.com © Accra, 2013

RANTINGS OF A BƆƆLU GBEY...

Yesterday the 2nd of September 2013, I took some time out of my creative schedule to go watch the Black Stars at the Accra Sports Stadium ooohh sorry oohh, the Ohene Djan Sports Stadium. The teams turnout was meager because the rest of the team was still enroute from their various destinations of employment worldwide. The face of international football has changed and is a far cry from the days when the whole national team was up of players from the local league. Having watched many a Black Stars training sessions at the now derelict Kaneshie Sports Complex or the Ohene Djan Sports stadium, yesterday was able to bring back the nostalgia that instigated my decision to go watch the training session. One big memory of such training sessions I watched was in 1982 prior to the Libya (Cup of Nations) of a hastily put together Black Stars team led by the fearless C.K Gyamfi. An Era where the only non local players were George Alhassan and the captain Emmanuel Quarshie who was with Zamalek (If my memory serves right). I remember a standing next to a teenage Abedi Pele (all Jerry Curled up, dripping with a mixture of activator, sweat and testosterone) being interviewed for TV or Radio (N.B we could not spell internet in those days). Those days saw some full scale full pitch matches sometimes against the local sides or the whole call up. It was value for money even though it was free to get in. With players getting into some full blown career threatening tackles because of the sheer competition for places besides or other underlying factors like team rivalries.

Ohh, how international football has changed. Players are now wrapped in cotton wool and only fully unwrapped on the day of serious competitive engagement keeping them ticking over like well oiled machines and away from any harm or misfortune to get their maximum performance. And watching the small pitch session from the stands yesterday got a lot of things going through my mind. These laughing, joking group of brothers, friends will on Friday become a fighting unit burdened with the expectation of a whole nation to beat Zambia and qualify for the World Cup playoff round. 

What a responsibility, way beyond my measly one international Basketball Cap against Togo at ‘a filled to the rafters’ Lebanon House, Tudu in 1985. My only regret that day was getting only a few minutes on the floor and missing both free throws when I went to the foul line. Our lot those days were and still is a far cry from the money laden and underachieving Black Stars of today. 

I remember we got changed at St Joseph’s C.Y.O (another bastion of Ghana Basketball) and commandeering a Tro-Tro for the 5-10 minute journey to Lebanon House. The Black Stars’ current luxury coach would have had difficulty maneuvering into the Lebanon House so it must have been a tactical masterstroke by the 3 man management team of Ceasar Akpakli, Braa Matthias and Coach Victor Munford to keep the team hungry and focused for the task ahead. Our post match victory party was held at a Hotel in Osu Kuku hill (will provide the name in chambers) getting there on a back of a pick up wearing our national track suits was an unbelievable sight to behold for by standers who might have cared to take a closer look. Our previous 2-3 weeks allowances plus winning bonus was handed and received with gratitude, about 1000 Cedis in all (which was a lot of money then). That night at the Tesano Gardens I was the ‘Paymaster General’ and made sure the BuBra flowed like there was no tomorrow ably assisted by my then able ‘Finance Minister’ (name With held for confidential reasons) still in my regulation Uniform and Tracksuit showing off and behaving in a manner unbefitting of sportsman let alone an international just coming from a game he had participated in. Of course I might have been the only one who cared or understood why I was still in my track suit at 10pm necking down Draught beer because frankly nobody gave a toss.
Times have changed in the field of sports and sportsmen around the world have become very cautious about the dietary and recreational drinking habits because they are now very highly invested and paid cash machines with agents, managers and investment brokers who take care of their every day to day activities to keep the machine ticking over. The legendary stories of footballers’ drinking habits at various watering holes in Accra where the cream of league footballers would allegedly converge before and after league matches to refresh themselves are not just common to just these parts of the world.
Footage of footballers having an after game cigarette and a drink in the baths of many a football ground in England was the norm rather than the exception. In those days it was seen a manly thing to do rather than an unhealthy habit unbecoming of a sporting hero without the current intrusion of camera phones, Twitter and Facebook and the ever waiting sensation seeking newspaper to contend with, life must have a carefree carnival of careless abandon.
With all this in mind I pray we beat Zambia handsomely to make a statement, qualifying in the process and inducing the legendary fear national teams had of the once formidable Black Stars of Ghana. The bars in Kumasi and the whole country will make a killing as the parties will continue all weekend. All they have to do is to ensure they are fully stocked up for the ordeal.
Finally, all have to say is enjoy sensibly and carefully, and with this I leave with you the wise words of a musician bidding farewell at the end of the night in an Irish Bar.
‘PLEASE DO NOT  DRINK AND DRIVE, BUT IF YOU WANT TO, DO NOT FORGET YOUR CAR’.

GO BLACK STARS GO
OSEEY YEE. YEEEEE YEI,
BLACK STARS OOHHH, BLACK STARS OOHHH,
YEEE YEEEEEIGHHHHH
allotey@accralomi.com © Accra, 2010

LAVENDAR HILL- A FRAGRANT INTERSECTION OF POLITICAL DISCHARGE

Lavendar Hill, the place where the Korle Lagoon meets the sea and the majority of Accra's night soil is discharged at all times during the day. There is a picture of a truck in the bottom corner on it's way to pick up some more business after discharging a previous load. The area is nicknamed 'Lavendar Hill' because the obvious link with the dominant commercial activity assigned to it. The smell changes by the day depending on how much has been discharged or the weather. cold, warm, rainy or windy when the unholy fragrance travels really far and wide beyond it's hallowed environs.
People as far as James Town, Bukom, Ayalolo, Old Fadama, Korle-Gonno and Chorkor on a good day can experience this phenomenon. I have a very realistic relationship to it because I can understand and appreciate it’s importance and existence.
The smell I do not mind because  besides it’s foul but highly organic nature is a constant reminder of what needs to be done as well as our total and complete neglect of our responsibilities to ourselves and our environment. The sea (Atlantic Ocean) which the main recipient of all the night soil discharged is being contaminated with all the other objects that are flushed down the toilet in people’s homes.
The proliferation of political signboards given the areas notoriety is because of the vehicular traffic  footprints and it’s  potential for exposure. You are always assured of seeing any of the advertising boards. I told my campaign team to put the biggest bill board to out shine all those ‘evil dwarfy’  ones.
Yeah, we want to make a statement alright and where better to make that statement but the FRAGRANTLY CHALLENGED LAVENDAR HILL.

REPLY FROM TIGO CUSTOMER SERVICES MANAGER

HERE IS THE REPLY I GOT FROM THE TIGO CUSTOMER SERVICES MANAGER ABOUT MY COMPLAINT. IT HAS TAKEN NEARLY A YEAR TO PUBLISH.
THERE IS A NEW STORY BREWING SO WATCH THIS SPACE

Dear Mr. A******

Reference to your email complaint dated 1^st February 2011

Firstly, let me thank you for raising your complaint email and the concerns you have raised on the experience you have undergone on the 1^st of February at our Barnes road Customer Service Centre.

I can assure you that, we are very committed to serving our valuable Customers, and also listening to issues raised, as it gives us a greater opportunity to make customer experiences much better through our services.

Having fully investigated the points on your complaint email, the said sale of a phone in an unsealed box, without a receipt has taken place through the third party salesman, who is authorized to sell units at our premises. However, they are also responsible to maintain and deliver services and products that deliver the same service and promise we make. We at Tigo also take very serious stance on the expected standards, when a third party operates in our premises.

It was found that the mentioned sales person has sold a phone, that does not belong to his stocks provided by the 3^rd party(who has a contractual obligation with us).  And he has also acted on his own trying to sell this unit without a receipt as well. It was also  found that, the unit was not from his stock and has undertaken to sell for another person in his private capacity.

We have taken this very seriously and also have met the relevant manager of the company and this person has been removed from our premises.

I can also assure you that any product or service that is paid for at our premises is always to be issued with a receipt.

I also wish to apologize for the inconvenience and trouble you have gone through and also hope that the solution provided to you will be accepted in good stead. We look forward for a continued relationship with us, in which we hope our service will exceed expectations, and put this experience as one off thing of the past.

Once again thank you very much for raising these issues as we believe customer complaints, feedback will always play a very valuable role in helping us improve our service towards our Customers.

It was also my pleasure to meet you in person and get a first hand count of everything.

Please also feel free to contact me anytime you require in the future as well.

Yours Sincerely

A**** F*******

Head of Customer Operations

RANT FOR THE DAY (JOY FM MORNING SHOW, 99.7FM) listeners should call 0302 216561 OR 0302 220 000

 http://www.facebook.com/pages/Kojo-Oppong-Nkrumah/97344786596?sk=app_2373072738

The Joy FM morning show was highly recommended to me last Sunday by someone I met for the first time and his enthusiasm about the substance of the presenter got so curious to the point of tuning in by Wednesday, after seeing and listening (albeit at the tail end of the show) to Kojo Oppong Nkrumah and Suyihini on 'Good Evening Ghana' the previous night I felt recommendation a welcome one. I listened to the Police Officers doing some P.R/damage control, about police inconsistencies in the dealing with the public. I got to the Korle-Bu traffic light at the end of the mortuary road, witnessed an incident involving 2 policemen and a driver in some finger pointing exercises that looked like a debate about the laws pertaining some driving offence or not. It turned out to be about the drivers inability to produce his drivers license on demand by the police. the second policeman sat in the car as is the practice and off they went towards Korle-Bu police station. This is when I took my phone (another offence) to call 0302 216561 the number given on the Joy Fm morning show. And I got the biggest shock of my young Joy Fm morning show courtship with the atittude of the lady on the other side of the line with her then patronizing answer to my enquiry about the show. She started shouting a number down the line 0302 220 000, 0302 220 000, 0302 220 000. But the host just told us to 0302 216561. NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO, 0302 220 000, 0302 220 000, 0302 220 0000302 220 000, 0302 220 000, 0302 220 000. Mr Kojo Oppong Nkrumah, whilst this is not meant to be a direct reflection of you or your show, and would not necessarily stop me from my continued patronage, I would like bring this to yours and the organisations attention that CHARITY BEGINS AT HOME and before we try to remove the biblical speck in someones eye, we must first remove the log in our own eyes.

I wont touch that dial, as they say in the business.

HAVE A GOOD DAY TO ALL

Track My Trash - BBC Panorama Documentary

(Use your cursor to Control the Movie by placing it in the middle and moving it to the left or right for speed and direction)
UK e-waste illegally dumped in Ghana

British electronic waste is being exported to poor African nations where it threatens the environment and human health, reveals joint Panorama and EIA investigation
http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2011/may/16/uk-ewaste-dumped-ghana

Prior to this documentary I had the priviledge or misfortune of spending sometime in Old Fadama, a squatter suburb of Accra inhabited mainly by people originally displaced by tribal conflict in the North of Ghana. This panoramic presentation whilst not being a definitive representation of the circumstances is meant to capture a sense of the place giving the viewer a ringside perspective of the fight for survival that is an everyday chore in Old Fadama.
A whole morning was spent walking the community meeting some of it's celebrated inhabitants going abut their chores without a care in the world. The extreme painful twist of my face supporting a twitchy happy nose at every corner was not enough to hide my feelings about their living conditions. What can be the solution I kept asking myself all morning. My thoughts on this occassion, a little different from the gamut of emotions I went through the first time I walked through Old Fadama. That fateful afternoon I left home with the sole aim of walking through and documenting but never had the guts to take a single shot perhaps out of fear of being beaten up or not wanting to be patronizing like others who dare to go and document, digital cameras around their necks looking for that shot or story to buffer their various stories about poverty, adversity, survival and humanity.
The Korle Lagoon a mainstay in the Ga's (Inhabitants of Accra) traditional, cultural, historical, leisure and commercial life. its proximity to the suburbs of Ama Momo, and James Town assured it's credence in the lives of many a young people who grew up in those communities.
The stories I have heard were all adventurous escapades of young people mainly boys ranging from trapping edible Crabs, Tilapia (Didei) to swimming in this water body believed have spiritual prowess steeped deep in Ga traditional history. http://www.bourgoing.com/ghana.htm
Today it has been turned into a rubbish dump due to the human settlements along it's banks from Abossey Okai to James Town. The lagoon's spiritual powers whilst not in doubt is obviously not on the biblical scale to punish her chief abusers, mainly settler communities as well as digital, electrical and metal scrap dealers who have made her their main dumping ground
place for dangerous toxic waste of no commercial value to them without a care in the world about it's consequences on the environment.
On my trawls around the internet I found this piece of footage like so many others that have played on international Television networks decrying the immoral practise of digital dumping.
http://www.pbs.org/frontlineworld/stories/ghana804/video/video_index.html