I'm annoyed this week. There are a number of things that are grinding on my nerves. Thank goodness none of them involve being harassed by a faceless phone-stalker. Anyway, there has been too much drama in my life but have opted to spare you the gory details on all that. What better way to purge my frustrations by focusing on the things around me that are irking me to the 10th degree. Here are a few:
1. Unofficial Load-shedding in Accra
If you were living in Ghana in the late 1990s and in 2006/2007, then you know all about load-shedding! Load-shedding is basically mandatory light-out/light-offs/power outages to conserve energy. It arises from an over-reliance on hydroelectricity and bad planning on the part of governments. I was only around for the 2006/7 debacle but it was a real atmosphere killer, fridge food-rotter and costs businesses like loads of money. Well, aside from people selling generators that is. The immediate-past load-shedding was well-advertised in the papers and you knew when your lights would be going out. However, for almost a month now, our lights are being turned off almost every night for a few hours! What is this all about? Is this a sneaky attempt to have us conserve energy without letting us know?
2. Water, water nowhere and not a drop to drink
Accra is in the grips of a water shortage. Just ask the people carrying yellow jerrycans in search of water every morning . This has been going on for the past 1 week or so. These water jerrycans were nicknamed "Kufuor gallon" some years back when President Kufuor was still at the helm of Ghana. I heard today that people were agitating changing the name to "Mills gallon" after our dear new President . I should add that President Mills is indeed a fine gentleman and a father to all of us.
3. Fuel prices on the rise or
When your father lies to you!
Sometime in December 2008 after the first round of Election 2008, then-candidate Mills released a TV ad telling us all that he realised that we were suffering under the evil hardships of the Kufuor administration and that although fuel prices had just been lowered, he said "they can be reduced further". He did not tell us about the complexities of fuel price being governed by petroleum prices on the international market. So, after President Mills came to the helm, we eagerly awaited the promised fuel price reduction. *Finally* it came last week! Although it was not very dramatic, I still filled my tank up with a smile. But in a strange twist of fate, a week later, the price of fuel has gone up! The government is telling us that this is in line with the increase in the international fuel price...Say Whoa??! NOW the international fuel prices matter? What about in December 2008? What about the past 8 years?
*********ARGGGGHHHHHH******************
That was cathartic.... Alas, I have to fly out. Apparently our water reserves at home are finally up. Have to go and grab a couple of jerrycans and join my peoples in search of water in the 'hood! Oh Joy.
1. Unofficial Load-shedding in Accra
If you were living in Ghana in the late 1990s and in 2006/2007, then you know all about load-shedding! Load-shedding is basically mandatory light-out/light-offs/power outages to conserve energy. It arises from an over-reliance on hydroelectricity and bad planning on the part of governments. I was only around for the 2006/7 debacle but it was a real atmosphere killer, fridge food-rotter and costs businesses like loads of money. Well, aside from people selling generators that is. The immediate-past load-shedding was well-advertised in the papers and you knew when your lights would be going out. However, for almost a month now, our lights are being turned off almost every night for a few hours! What is this all about? Is this a sneaky attempt to have us conserve energy without letting us know?
2. Water, water nowhere and not a drop to drinkAccra is in the grips of a water shortage. Just ask the people carrying yellow jerrycans in search of water every morning . This has been going on for the past 1 week or so. These water jerrycans were nicknamed "Kufuor gallon" some years back when President Kufuor was still at the helm of Ghana. I heard today that people were agitating changing the name to "Mills gallon" after our dear new President . I should add that President Mills is indeed a fine gentleman and a father to all of us.
3. Fuel prices on the rise or
When your father lies to you!
Sometime in December 2008 after the first round of Election 2008, then-candidate Mills released a TV ad telling us all that he realised that we were suffering under the evil hardships of the Kufuor administration and that although fuel prices had just been lowered, he said "they can be reduced further". He did not tell us about the complexities of fuel price being governed by petroleum prices on the international market. So, after President Mills came to the helm, we eagerly awaited the promised fuel price reduction. *Finally* it came last week! Although it was not very dramatic, I still filled my tank up with a smile. But in a strange twist of fate, a week later, the price of fuel has gone up! The government is telling us that this is in line with the increase in the international fuel price...Say Whoa??! NOW the international fuel prices matter? What about in December 2008? What about the past 8 years?
*********ARGGGGHHHHHH******************
That was cathartic.... Alas, I have to fly out. Apparently our water reserves at home are finally up. Have to go and grab a couple of jerrycans and join my peoples in search of water in the 'hood! Oh Joy.
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