New Ghana Road Tolls Today

The increase in road tolls in Ghana takes effect today.

A regular car that used to pay 5 pesewas is now paying 50 p, a heavier car like a pick-up or trotro which used to pay 8p now pay 1 GHC (or about 70 US cents). That is an increase of 900% and 1150%!

Since I moved to Ghana three years ago, there has not been any increase in tolls, so I guess it was long overdue. The amount can of course be discussed. At present, maintenance is minimal on motorways and highways. This means street lights rarely work, potholes sometimes resemble craters and abandoned broken-down vehicles can be found anywhere, yes even on the fast lane of the motorway! It seems clear money is needed to make roads in Ghana safer.

However, as the toll increase was published in the newspapers last week, no reason was given for it, no promises were made, no connections were made with above stated problems. We were just informed through newspaper ads that "The Ghana Road Fund under the auspices of Ministry of Roads and Highways...solicits the cooperation of Motorists to comply with payment of the new tolls at the various toll collection facilities". Information was published in newspapers, but for a 1000% increase, is that enough? I was surprised that there was little discussion about it.

Because even though, something clearly needs to be done about Ghana's roads, the effects of this increase in tolls become almost like a tax on commuting. With a congested capitol, maybe that is not the best measure... For me who commute to Accra using the Tema motorway my monthly costs is up by 18 GHC or a little less in USD. That's in a country where average monthly salary is about 160 GHC per month (1326 USD per year in 2007 according to Gapminder).

Just now, Joy FM is reporting that some people are refusing to pay and there is chaos at the toll booths at Tema motorway.

Hence, short term, this toll has made it more difficult to get to work. Still, I'm cautiously hopeful about the long-term improvements.

Pic: A trotro pays its tolls at the Ashaiman/Tema toll station last week, most likely happily unaware of the changes of today.

Ghana Map Online

The disappointment of Google Maps (top pic) and others to cover the Afrian continent has been unaddressed for some time, but now there is Africa on Map (second pic). I have played around with it and it seems to have mapped Accra quite well, there is the possibility of getting (not fully accurate) directions and opportunity to list real estate.

Interesting indeed. Since information, about basically everything is scarce here, I belive good online maps could be of good use. Currently, directions are given in the style of "adjacent to..." or "opposite of..." using land marks rather than road names which makes the threshold of understanding directions quite high. For starters being able to easily print/email maps of locations would make it much, much easier to drive around town and find clubs, stores and friends' houses!


In the maps above I have asked for Kotoka Airport in Accra.

Thankful in Traffic

In the quite chaotic Ghanaian traffic there are a number of things that brighten my day. These days we tend to mostly complain about the many car crashes, the traffic jams, people failing to adhere to traffic rules and regulations or the regulators of the traffic flows being outright silly.

As a counter balancing act I here will list my favorite elements of the Ghanaian traffic, you are welcome to add to it!

1. People are friendly and will let you in to any queue, no matter how slowly it moves, if you give a sign like twitching your headlights or raising your eyebrows.
2. Funny vehicles like the pearly white Mercedes with the Registration "JESUS 1" (Oh Lord, won't you buy me...), the itsy-bitsy small truck that is loaded with chocolate (Think Ompa-Lompas) or the hot pink pick-up (Barbie's car!).
3. If you make a mistake, there is room for it, because mistakes happen all the time...
4. When reversing out from a tight spot there is always someone there to direct you.
3. FAVORITE The random messages displayed in the back windows of the public transport Tro-tro's, like the one in the picture above, "THEY ACT AS LOVERS".

What do you make of that?

Im clueless. Is it an accusation? A biblical message? A warning to the public? A general statement being true in different situations?

Thinking about this I have a happier and even a bit thankful drive to work.

Driver's Licence News

On Thursday I wrote the theory exam for the third time.

For some reason, the test was scheduled to take place in the new buildings for the licencing authorities instead of in a school as the other times. When we get there and some 35 of us are ushered into a unfinished concrete block, no windows or doors put in, no tables and chairs, animals grazing outside, it is like they know I am hoping to get a blogpost out of this experience.

And it only gets better: the crafty driving instructors help the licencing folks to carry benches into the "room" and soon they have also found a few tables. Women clean them with their hankies and quietly take their seat. We sit three and three on a bench and after 20 minutes everybody also have a table or a hardback book for writing support.

The licencing officer gives instructions on a woodboard someone found outside and a nice breeze comes through the, erhm window-openings.



After 30 minutes I am done. Hoping I have done the writing for the very last time I pass a rooster on my way out.



So Yesterday, I call my driving school and finally get some good news - I have passed. Now, my instructor says in a happy voice, all you have to do is to wait for your practical exam date. And so this morning I get a call from the licencing office:

- Madam, April 16th at 8 am you have your practical test.

I don't know if to laugh (because I have gotten this far) or cry ( wait seven weeks more...).

What do you think? Will I ever obtain my Ghanaian driver's licence? Comments go below.

Give Way

-So Kajsa, how is your driving going?

Well, that is a long story, unfortunately including:

... eight dangerous and crowded practicals where tree fellow driving students sit in the back seat, mind you WITHOUT seatbelts, whilst I drive. Now I am not allowed to continue practicals until I pass the theory test, which I thought would not be all that difficult, however...

... two failed theory tests later in which I scored respectively 18 and 20 out of 30 - Pass is 21, I realize it IS difficult. Noone knows which questions were answered right or wrong (or if the official wants to make another buck at our make-up test-s), since that information is not provided...

... not to mention, the time waste of two cancelled theory tests. You go to the driving school in the morning to "register" your intent to take the test, you go to the Licencing Office to pay your fee (USD 3), you then go to a secondary school here in town and wait until they close so you can use their big hall for the test and then you find out it is cancelled. No explanation. The only talk is the...

...rumors about the practical exam being scheduled months from the date you pass the theory test and so far noone I know from the driving school acctually ending up with a driver's licence. Which ratifies above described rumor.

-Oh, just fine, I'm sure I'll have my licence any day now.

In the picture: Me in, thats right, the backseat.

Oh Lord Won’t You Buy Me...

On New Year’s Eve, a friend came by to ask me what I wanted God to do for me in 2008 so that she could pray for me in church the same night. In Ghana, New Years is an important church event more than anything else. The question surprised me and since I am not really a believer and hence don’t know what to ask God for, I answered

Well, I think I’d like to learn how to drive.

My friend looked at me disapprovingly and pointed out that it in a way already has been granted since I have signed up at the driving school.

Yeah, you are right,

I hear myself saying. With surprising determination I continue,

Then I’d like a car.

What? Has it come to that? A car? For the new year, I don’t wish to become a better person or to make the world a better place. I ask for a gasdriven vehichle of my own. Oh Lord, help me.

First Gear

So today I enrolled with a driving school here in Ghana. My goal is to sometime next year be able to navigate between goats and Mercedes-Benzes, yellow taxicabs and banana sellers. The registration was surprisingly smooth - I payed the fees ($200) and handed over five (5) pass port sized pictures and got a report card for fifteen driving lessons to start with along with the theory course and a textbook, an exercise book and a notebook.

Then the theory class started, with me as the only student! My inspiring teacher Justice talked me through the roadsigns one by one in preparation for the "interview" later this week where I will be orally questioned by the roads authorities about the roadsigns before I get the go ahead to start practice driving.

If only it was this easy to enroll with the University of Ghana...Right now I am experiencing some time consuming shuffling around - "Oh, then you need to go to the registrar's office and buy the forms", "You come back later", "You need to go back and get a go ahead from that department", and "I can't promise anything, just go back to the registrar". It seems like the first test to pass is one of endurance.

I'll keep you posted on both my educations in progress.