Community Report: Funny, new street names anger Achimota residents

Some residents in parts of Achimota, a suburb of Accra say names given to streets in their area, which is part of a nationwide street naming project, make a mockery of the whole exercise.

According to residents of the "Kinsby Roundabout" and its environs, some of the street names are so funny and remote to the area that they are not likely to serve their purpose.

Sign posts with names such as Pumpkin Avenue, Tomato Lane, Sandy Crescent, Diamond Avenue, Sea Lane, to name only a few, have caused residents to demand information on what went into the choice of names for their beloved area.

According to a resident, whose street was popularly known as "Decide" -- until a sign post renamed it to "Diamond Avenue" -- the Ga West Municipal Assembly has done a poor job with choice of names for their streets.

She suggested that because the area has been known for a long time as "Decide", the Assembly could have kept to that -- or give it a better name than "Diamond Avenue".

Another resident whose house is located on "Tomato Street" said she could not help but laugh the whole day when she saw the sign post at her junction.

Presiding Member of the Ga West Municipal Assembly, Mr. Thomas Okine, however, said he is surprised at the reaction.

He told myjoyonline in a telephone conversation that "broad consultations" were made with Assembly Members, landlords and other community leaders before the names were assigned to the areas.

But at least a landlord whose house is adjacent "Oil Lane" says he was not consulted.

In November last year, President John Mahama issued a Septmber 2014 ultimatum, for all Metropolitan, Municipal and District Chief Executives (MMDCEs) to complete the street naming and house numbering exercises in their areas.

The President's directive followed an earlier directive to the Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development in March, 2013, to implement the street naming exercise within 18 months.

The President said MMDCEs who fail to meet the September deadline would lose their jobs. Story by Ghana | Myjoyonline.com | George Nyavor | [email protected]