or subtitle: “Maybe I should have just kept my big mouth shut!” READ ON!
If you follow this blog, you know MADINGHANA is obsessed with signs: directional signs, promotional signs and locational signs. After all, we live in Kumasi THE SIGN CITY OF WEST AFRICA, unfortunately no longer the GARDEN CITY OF WEST AFRICA that I remember from the 70’s. Enough…now down to specifics…
Recently, I’ve been focusing on the directional sign at the Accra Road junction a.k.a. Anloga Junction with the newly completed southern by-pass that leads to the prosperous, burgeoning side of the city that is the heart of the hotel and restaurant trade in Kumasi. A lot of our business drives up from Accra and taking this dual carriage way, state of the art highway represents a great infrastructural improvement for the city. The problem is there is no directional sign indicating the dual carriage way by-pass! Not even after almost a year being open!
Now here’s the clincher. The other directional signs at the other three corners at 1, 3 and 4-see map below of the intersection are up!!!!!!!
Driving to the airport or to the Accra Road from Four Villages, you’ll come to this sign:
see no. 1 on the map
GREAT!
Driving from the airport, now a breeze to get to Four Villages Inn, and passing the Accra Road to take the southern by pass you’ll see this sign:
see no. 3 on the map above
GREAT!
When coming from town a.k.a. Kejetia/Adum along the Accra Road, you’ll see this sign to turn to the airport or to the dual carriage way to Asafo, Asokwa, Ahodwo, Nyhiaeso and further along to the Santasi Roundabout.
see no. 4 on the map above
GREAT!
BUT WHEN COMING FROM ACCRA, HERE’S WHAT YOU’LL SEE:
see no. 2 on the map above
Yes, this is the old sign indicating a T junction and no road existing towards Asafo, Asokwa, Ahodwo Nhyiaeso Ahinsan and further to Santasi etc.
UGH!NOT SO GREAT!
And the only other sign board at 2 (see map) is the one indicating tourist destinations north of Ashanti!
see no 2 on the map
UGH!
So what to do about it?
1. Of course, I’ll send this post by email to Mr. Theodore Quaye, the Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly’s Metro Roads Engineer who I’ve copied other posts to on the subject asking him to direct my complaint to the person responsible for signage. Unfortunately I never received any response from him on any issues I’ve brought to his office.
2. I’ll send this post to other hotels in the vicinity who are affected by the situation.
3. I’ll also send this post to some connected friends in the local administration at the Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly, that is the mayor’s office.
4. and I’ll raise the issue at tomorrow’s regular monthly meeting of the Ashanti Branch of the Ghana Hotels Association.
Expect some more follow-up…and I’ll leave you with this….any speculation on WHY THE MUNICIPAL AUTHORITIES HAVE FAILED TO DO THE MOST IMPORTANT DIRECTIONAL SIGN AT THAT MAJOR INTERSECTION?
MADinGhana's Blog 
madinghana
August 2, 2012
Sent this to the Kumasi Business LinkedIn group
Chris Scott
Do you do business on the southern side of Kumasi? Well, the southern bypass at Anloga Junction leading from the Accra Road has been completed for some time now. But still there is no directional sign to direct drivers from Accra to turn left. Write to The Urban Roads Engineer Mr. Theodore Quaye at tquaye86@yahoo.com Read the details in the link attached and subscribe to madinghana!
madinghana
August 2, 2012
I wrote to Mr. Quaye:
“Dear Mr. Quaye,
My, how surprised I was to see three of the four signs at Anloga Junction on the Accra Road up! BUT NOT THE MOST IMPORTANT THAT BEING THE ONE FROM ACCRA!
If it is NOT your responsibility, then please forward this email to the relevant department/individual in charge.
Best wishes,
Chris Scott, Host
http://www.fourvillages.com http://facebook.com/fourvillagesinn
https://madinghana.wordpress.com http://fourvillagesinn.wordpress.com”
and his reply:
” theordore quaye
To chris scott
Thanks Chris, will ensure the contractor puts that one up.
Theodore”
madinghana
August 3, 2012
Made a presentation on the issue in front of membership of the Ashanti Region Ghana Hotels Association at our regular monthly meeting yesterday. The Chairman followed my remarks commenting on the bad roads leading to many hotels, including his own! Good support for action to be taken by the representative from the Golden Tulip Kumasi City hotel.