Thanks to ECG, discovering a city of intriguing, creative appellations!

This is not a ‘What-Do-You-Know’ quiz, but if you think you know Accra, here are three questions to ponder as you enjoy your Easter break: (1) what is the link between South Odorkor and Oxford Street?

Similarly, (2) what do Been To, Nkatie Burger and Gravel Pit have in common? And, (3) is there any relationship between Libya and Washington; or New England and Zanzibar?

I won’t keep you in any more suspense, particularly if you’re not an Accra dweller and especially if you haven’t seen, or taken the trouble to study the ‘Load Management Schedule’ that the Electricity Company of Ghana announced ahead of that exercise. Thankfully, it ended last Friday, April 7, having commenced on Thursday, March 30.

Apparently, the regional groups covered under the schedule were: Accra, Volta, Ashanti, Tema, Western, Eastern and Central. Affected suburbs were grouped under A, B, C, and D; and the outage was from 6p.m. to 11 p.m.

The ‘quiz questions’ above were evoked particularly by the baffling ECG Accra groupings. But also of special interest were the curious, bewildering appellations or accepted nicknames of some of the capital’s suburbs! Conceivably, some might have started as humorous nicknames and then became so popular that the city authorities formalised or adopted them.

A typical example is Accra’s bustling ‘Oxford Street’, a name undoubtedly copied from the famous street in London, reputed to be Europe’s busiest shopping road.

Unlike previous power management or load shedding schedules, it appears the ECG didn’t publish this 2023 one in the daily newspapers, but it was widely circulated online. Maybe ECG management thought that because of the high numbers of online disciples, it made more economic sense to use the Internet this time.

Noticeably, not all of Ghana’s 16 regions were listed on the schedule. Perhaps those left out were lucky to escape the planned load shedding though, reportedly, some of them have been experiencing outages just the same – mostly unannounced, it seems.

Nevertheless, there had been advance notice. In a joint news release dated March 30, 2023, the Ghana Grid Company and the Electricity Company of Ghana had announced that “due to the maintenance works being carried out by the Ghana National Gas Company at the Atuabo Gas Processing Plant, gas supply for generation has been affected.

“Consequently, there will be a generation capacity shortfall (which) will reduce total power supply for distribution by ECG until Friday 7^th April, 2023. There will be minimal interruption in power supply to some ECG customers,” the release said.

I was left in no doubt about which group my street was under when, with admirable military precision, at 6 p.m. that day our power went off. What was less admirable was that instead of 11 p.m. our power was restored not at 11 p.m. on the dot, but at about 11. 30 p.m. Still, we were elated that our electricity was back.

From our own harrowing experiences in Ghana, one can fully appreciate the impact of blackouts on others: General misery! Economic losses! Little wonder that last month the Government of South Africa was compelled to appoint a Minister to solve their devastating power generation problems.

President Cyril Ramaphosa said in a statement that the new electricity minister, Dr Kgosientsho Ramokgopa, is to focus solely on dealing with the crippling power cuts.

Anyway, in the quiz above are some of the clusters I found quite strange. For instance, given the vast distance between South Odorkor and Oxford Street, how can both be served by the same ECG sub-stations? I had been under the assumption that electricity sub-stations would be serving neighbouring communities or areas.

Furthermore, the names themselves prompted more questions. What could be the story behind a tag like Been-To for a suburb name? And was Nkatie Burger named after a factory where that honey-roasted groundnut snack is made – or that snack is popular with the inhabitants? Was Gravel Pit, originally a construction site or a location where gravel was extracted?

The names also underscore the almost national fixation with copycat practices, including place names. But perhaps areas with names like Libya, Washington and Israel got those descriptions because the first notable settlers there had lived in those countries or cities before.

Also featured in the Accra groups are a myriad of fascinating names connoting possible extraordinary, hidden histories, including: Fair Heaven, Hebron, Wiaborman and Niagara. Above all, the timetable also demonstrated Ghanaians’ sense of humour, through quaint place names. Some examples, from Accra Group A: Seven Days, Wele, Borkorbokor, Amelia, Maame Nkran, Mayera, Bayere Junction and Yomo Specs.

Of course the whimsically named Maye Hot (meaning I’m feeling the heat/I’m in hot water), and Kojo Sardine, are two of the well- known ones that provoke questions, or laughter, but what about the countless other odd names? Why on earth Ability, Abotsie Hanya and Parks and Shops?!

I confess that although I have lived in the national capital almost all my life, it’s only thanks to the ECG Management Schedule that I now know that the city has places identified by such peculiar names as: Ghana Flag; American Flag, School Junction, Massalatsi, Little Roses, Agyeman, Obaahemaa and Sawmill.

And what about equally perplexing names like: Akatsi Abor, Special Drink, Bantsi Asi, Akoshie Junction, Konka, Red Top, Rush, Fulani, Bohye and Langba? Surely, behind those weird names there must be some enthralling tales waiting to be unearthed!

Of course one shouldn’t overlook the fact that it’s not only the Ghanaian’s sense of humour that the unusual, hilarious names illustrate. Seemingly, some suggest caution or even offer guidance; others sound philosophical.

How else can one interpret the designation of places with Akan sounding names like Fankyeneko (meaning, ‘take salt along’); or Mempeasem (I don’t want trouble); and ‘Obeyeyie’ (it shall be well)?

To me, the creativity behind many of these captivating place names is worthy of applause. Their ingenuity has certainly captured my attention!

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