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Africa » Ghana » Greater Accra » Accra
March 5th 2009
Published: March 5th 2009
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Well it's been a while... hopefully it's given you time to get thru reading the last blog... here's another lengthy one, enjoy :o)

Monday 9th February

Did the usual routine ... however, slightly earlier. We had been asked to be in work early... Today was going to be an exciting day!

Got to work for 7.45am. Then sat around... waiting, as should have been expected, for something to happen and someone to organise something! At least I didn't get here for 7am (like one girl!) so, by 9am we were going... finally! As per, it was a last minute rush, they have all this time to get something organised and then they decide that we have to leave in 2 minutes! We all got changed into t-shirts with slogans on 'Support the Right to Information Law' and 'Promote Government Accountability'. We were off to Parliament to see the 'vetting' of the Minister for Justice - a very impressive lady. This was the official part of the process before she is given the position. It is an opportunity for the other 'honourables' to ask questions of the proposed Minister and test their knowledge, dedication and suitability for the role.

We took 5 taxis to Parliament. It was a great opportunity to see the buildings and the square that make up the Parliament complex. We wandered up the long drive approach to the main building, the trees were dressed with the Ghanaian flag and there were lots of big fancy cars everywhere... However,... we didn't get far... we were stopped at the entrance by a security man... he wouldn't let us in for, what I would believe were, the following reasons: 1. we were too late, proceedings were already underway and in session. 2. we were wearing t-shirts with loud slogans on and they thought we were here to protest. 3. we had no interest in being there as we were predominantly white kids from another Country! (too true)

So, we stood outside,... in the sun,... in black t-shirts... at least we were getting a tan :o)

FINALLY, Nana turned up at about midday... She came over and asked how we were getting on... how we were getting on?!?! had she tried sitting around for 3 hours in black heavy cotton t-shirts... however, I do love the way she just waltzes into a place, gives it the Royal wave and drags about 20 of us up into the building, past the Minister being vetted (live on TV) and out onto the Press balcony, … she has power...or just presence?

We had to wait another hour for the Minister for Justice to be called. At least we were in and in the shade (not that it was much cooler). So the time came... we were made to squeeze and push our way into the small room where the vetting takes place... where we stood for a further one and a half hours whilst they asked her some of THE MOST POINTLESS questions over and over again... one guy asked 'so, you have an odd name, where does that come from'?! Another one got his pants in a twist and nearly had a fisty cuff with another Honourable about something she had said about their Courts being 'kangaroo Courts'... it was never really explained what this meant (I think she realised that she'd made a booboo) but it did elicit some kangaroo type actions from some of the Honourables - brilliant! My feet were aching, I was hungry (turned 2pm and no food... talk about human rights abuses...) but there was something to keep me entertained... some press guys next to me had spotted a random-er (anyone can attend the vetting - as long as they're there early enough!) and it looked like he was talking to himself and pulling the most peculiar faces throughout the whole of interview, they even thought it warranted a TV camera on him. When it was all over we had to push our way outside... I have NEVER come across such rude and ignorant people... it was worse than trying to get on/off the tube at rush hour!

We had a couple of photos and interviews taken once outside - Nana made sure that these were going to get featured by 'tipping' the reporters 20 Cedi... 20! I've never seen a 20 note,... thought it was funny money! Oh yeah, but we were on TV... again! Woohooo! I'm starting to feel like a minor celebrity in Ghana... (tehe!) So, if you are ever tuned into Ghana Parlimentary TV, you may just see me!

Went to the bank on the way home - was grateful for the air conditioned room! Why is it, when I go to change money, I get this suspicious feeling... like, it's not me in my passport picture (it IS a bit of a shocker...) or that I'm laundering, errr... travellers cheques... don't know, it just makes me nervous, I usually just try to smile sweetly :o)

Did some laundry when I got in... woah, I need to find a little lady who will do some of this for me... good job I brought plenty to wear, it could take me weeks to wash and rinse just a couple of tops! Will continue to do my 'smalls'... naturally... but you have to iron everything here... there could be little bugs in the water that then lay eggs in your clothes then get into your skin... ewwwwww not even worth thinking about... however, think about this, so, you have to iron EVERYTHING... like smalls and all... so I tried to iron some pants... well, it's nigh on impossible in some cases!!! but needs must... Franny you will be impressed... I will be ironing them all when I get home too... might as well! :o)

It was another volunteer's birthday today, so we all went to a pub to celebrate :o) Went to an Irish bar called 'Ryan's' which was very very very out of place in a little back alley near Osu. It was like walking into 'o'neils' back in Leytonstone! Woohoo! But very odd cos it's just full of white westerners, and you paid a premium to drink with them...


Tuesday 10th February

Got the trotro to the same stop that I've been getting off for the last week... gave the mate my money, but he asked for another 5p... no it's not... '5peswas',... not for the last week,... '5p', oh grrrr, grumpy.

No internet at work all day today, makes Clare an even more grumpy girl... grrrr. Worked on a couple of case files, writing up an overview for each of them and finally a legal opinion about how hopeless they are. Was given a new file, a class action (eeeek!) about a shortfall in some pension payments. I don't even understand the pension scheme in my own home Country, let alone try to figure out the old system here and begin to learn about the new system that they're trying to (badly and slowly) put into place in Ghana!

I also started on the 'oil and gas' report.
Smile!Smile!Smile!

The proposed Minister for Justice (right) and Nana (middle)
Oh dear... my notes are rubbish... didn't think I'd snoozed that much!!!

Finally met the (in)famous 'Nana' after working for over a week at the office. Did my best to introduce myself and outline my background, maybe how I could help etc... but she wasn't interested! So, just took notes (this she insisted on... 'make notes'... ok!) myself and another girl were given instructions to research a piece for abortion legislation - could be intersting.

When asking one of the office guys for some previous research material the two office girls (one from Uganda, the other Ghanaian) asked if I had any Spanish blood in me... “errrr, no”. 'How about Black?'... “would guess, probably No! WHY?!” 'cos apparently I'm not a typical white girl shape... i.e. I have a bum and hips - I have shape :o) I'll take it as a compliment, esp. from two very attractive black girls - thanku ladies! (note to self: stay off the carbs whilst in Ghana...) The rest of the afternoon was uneventful.

On the way home I had the most rubbish 'mate' yet... told him 3 times that I wanted to get off at Jokers and still he didn't shout to stop... so I started to open the door... that soon made him pull over!

Tuesday's are 'Quiz night'. Took taxis to 'Pig farm'. Running a bit late (cos of me...) but they hadn't started, of course, so there really had been nothing to worry about... I'm just running on Ghanaian time! First round of the quiz was a really good idea, but soooooo hard... capital cities of African Countries... ashamed to say that I only got about 2 out of 10! 2nd and 3rd rounds were also good, some slight bias to anyone who may have been from Australia (means that one team got a full 20/20!) then the final round was a complete nightmare... the crazy Danish man decided to organise a game of charades but we had to act out an entire sentence, so that, when put together, it made a story about one of the boys who had had his phone stolen and then went to a witchdoctor... long long story! Surprisingly, we didn't lose!!! Phew!


Wednesday 11th February

Had a reasonable night's sleep...

On my walk to work every morning I pass a gentleman walking his granddaughter to school...
Check out my authorityCheck out my authorityCheck out my authority

...and how much i'm 'glowing'!
he's now started saying 'good morning' as if I'm from these parts and have lived here all my life... bless!

A couple of us dressed up again in t-shirts and went down to Parliament in the hope that we would be there to see the Minister for Health being vetted. (slogan: 'Support Mental Health Law') However, as is typical in this Country, nobody had a flippin clue what was going on... the fact that the gate was pulled right across the main door kinda lead me to think that they wouldn't be letting us in today... One of the CHRI officials went in to the main building to find out what was happening... about 30 minutes later, she came back. We had to ask what was going on, the answer... no. Not allowed in today. Fine by me.. get to go back to the 'slightly' air conditioned office! On the way back down to get a taxi we met some people who were representing the disabled minority, in support of a disability Act. It was really fascinating to see some albino guys - I couldn't figure out who was secretly looking at who the most?! Obruni v's albino!
Commercial DriversCommercial DriversCommercial Drivers

All wanting to come up to the microphone to say their piece

Finished off my report on the oil and gas conference - finally. Did some work on my cases for the rest of the afternoon.

On the way home I saw a taxi driver v's trotro driver fight... I think they'd had a bump and they had each other by the throats...well entertaining. Cars and trotros were stopped in the middle of the road to help/watch!

Had the best tea (Wednesdays are the best teas!) Noodles, veg, spring rolls, followed by pineapple! :o)


Thursday 12th February

Following a reasonably good nights sleep I was in work early (7.40am!). Ready to go to Kasoa (a small town to the West of Accra - bout an hour on a bus). We had a workshop to attend to educate commercial drivers (trotro and taxi drivers) about their legal rights.

Set off at 8.30am (note to self: don't bother getting into work early when they tell you they're going to be setting off early... ) got the pleasure of riding in an amazing air-conditioned bus down all the way :o) Picked up a couple of journalists along the way, including my room-mate! Got to the site just before 10am
Ghana's very own Special one!Ghana's very own Special one!Ghana's very own Special one!

You wouldn't think that these pants were too big, right?!
and surprise surprise, you've probably guessed it... no-one was ready for us!

Went to the local police station to organise some 'costumes' for the role play... it wasn't until we were asked to get off the bus that I realised that I was a police officer in one of the role plays.. this meant that I was able to get dressed up - woohoo!!! I hadn't realised we were going to get outfits, this was BRILLIANT... Sat in the Chief Commander's office, had a chat with him (bonded over the police thing... he had trained in London at some point... I asked about their training here) I also got to ask my burning question... 'what is that rope thing round your left shoulder for?' thinking it's for lasoo-ing people/tying their hands round the back of their head/whipping them with?! Nope... it's for holding their whistle in their top pocket... oh, right, so it is...

So, we were given a bundle of uniforms (bit musty smelling … and odd sizes, shapes and colours, but...) I got to be the Chief Commander (the boss (wo)man!) and was allowed to borrow the Chief's lapel covers... but only cos I was the oldest! We tried on the uniforms - hilarious... it would be inappropriate for me to take a photo of how MASSIVE the pants were on me... there was space for a party in there!!! It was a good job I was wearing a hair clip that would gather them up and hold them in place... and stop them from falling down around my ankles most importantly... but then again, the jacket came down to my knees anyway! Ooooo... and I got a hat too, covered up all my unwashed hair - brilliant! Felt very important, at the same time as feeling a bit of a ninny, in my uniform. Was sweating like .. well, like never before... I was literally running,... but at least there was plenty of breezy space in my pants :o)

Anyway, the whole reason for dressing up was so that we could do a little role play about the police stopping a trotro driver to ask him for his documents/why he was parked illegally/why there was a bundle of drugs in his van. Felt a tad inappropriate in front of the local Police constabulary when we were behaving like bent coppers by asking the driver for a bribe or dragging him off to the station without lawful reasons... however, the audience didn't understand English, so it really didn't matter when we missed/improvised a couple of the lines!!! The rest of the afternoon was a great opportunity to snooze... it was all in Twi (local lingo), we had no hope of following proceedings! At the end of the day I helped to distribute some refreshments - like feeding time at the zoo!! One guy (more than just an animal...) asked for my name and number... he knew that much in English!

On the bus on the way home... lots of traffic, and I had to sit in a crappy and uncomfortable fold-y down seat, but it was OK, cos I got a corned beef pasty to eat for lunch... no joke - provided for, a corned beef pasty :o)

Hope you're still enjoying them... all/any comments would be welcome (infact... i'm going to start unsubscribing those of you who don't comment!!!)

Love, Clare x


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5th March 2009

Baggy Pants !
3 points to comment on - 1) Ironing undies -I can't belive you could physically iron some of your undies - well not unless you've bought some Bridget Jones' whilst out there! 2) Bum and hips - like your looks you get them from me ! - 3)The Special one - Baggy pants again but still looking stylish - If all else fails on your return then you can do one of the following - 1) set up an ironing service 2) Run master classes in how to impersonate a police (wo)man and get away with it .3) In light of the credit crunch run workshops on how to make any old garment look stylish - with a piece of old rope and a hair clip !
5th March 2009

I'm lovin' that police costume....

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