I frankly do not know what this is. I wanted to write, and I wrote. Enjoy it and if you feel like, let me know what you think.
Sunyani vs. Accra
The quiet in Sunyani vs. The noise in Accra
The serenity of Sunyani vs. The chaos of Accra
The cleanliness of Sunyani vs. The filth of Accra
The soft calls of taxi drivers vs. The yelling of trotro mates in Accra
The wheelbarrow-pushing male potters in Sunyani vs. The basin-carrying female kayaye in Accra
The disciplined Sunyani vs. The indiscipline Accra
Sunyani vs. Accra
Market Women vs. Shopper
In Sunyani
Buyer: Madam, please I said I was buying only 50 pesewas worth
of tomatoes
Seller: Sister, please that is 50 pesewas. Gyama wonfi ha, wahu?
In Accra
Buyer: Oh Auntie, I said I was buying 5 cedis worth of tomatoes
not 50 pesewas
Seller: Why, do you think I am ‘teaching’ you? Or are you new in Accra?
The tomatoes are expensive now oh! The KIA and big trucks now charge a lot.
Do you want to buy anything else?
Taxi Driver vs. Passenger
In Sunyani
(Irrespective of where you are going or coming from)
Passenger: Please take me to Melcom. I will spend just 5-10 minutes inside
then you bring me back here.
Driver: Okay. Pay 6 cedis.
In Accra:
(Legon-Accra Mall-Legon)
Passenger: Accra Mall please. I am picking something from a friend then
back here please.
Driver: Okay. You will pay me 20 cedis.
Passenger: WHY?
Driver: There is plenty traffic there.
Passenger: Mtcheewww! So how much will you charge if I was going to
Mallam and back?
Driver: That one I won’t go. But if you pay 50 Ghana then I will try.
Agent vs.Wannabe-Tennant
In Sunyani
Agent: Madam, you see this place is tiled, even the kitchen.
There is also a water heater in the bathroom.
This area too there is water 24 times 7.
Electricity too is there 24 times 7. Here there are no thieves.
You can even do your small garden at the back.
There is a gate too, and the front is ‘terrazo’.
W.T.: So how much is it?
Agent: 800
W.T.: 800 what?
Agent: 800 thousand. Old Ghana.
W.T.: Oh ok! How many years?
Agent: 3. But you can pay 2 years.
W.T.: Uh!
Agent: So the three years will be 28.8, and my 10% is 2.8.
If you want the two years, it will be 19.2, and my 10% is 1.9. Abi?
W.T.: Yes. Yes. You I will take the three years. Let’s see the landlord now.
Don’t worry about your ten eh?
In Accra
Agent: Please this place three years advance ooh! 3.5.
W.T.: Oh why? It is not tiled? The nets too are torn.
The WC is also not working well…and the…does the water come?
Agent: The water, edey come. Once a week. Every Monday dawn.
W.T.: There is no water, and with all the problems you want me to
pay 350 Cedis per month for three years for a 2-bedroom? Why?
Agent: Massa, oh why, you don’t like it? Houses are not common nowadays ooh.
Ok, you if you like this one, I have one too at Sukura. That one too is 2-bedroom.
That one is 250. You like am?
W.T.: No. No. It’s ok. Thank you.
Agent: Oh why you don’t like a house again?
W.T.: You I will call you later.
Agent: Ok Massa. What about my transport?
W.T.: What transport? Didn’t I pay the fare? Come and let’s pick the trotro together. I will pay.
Agent: Oh!
Husband in Accra vs. Husband in Sunyani
In Sunyani
There is rarely a ‘go-slow’ traffic in Sunyani. It is therefore inexcusable for a husband to spend even 30 minutes between wherever his office is in the metropolis. You can’t say same for Accra, can you?
In Accra
Wife: Honey, you are very late?
Hubby: Sweetheart, there was traffic right from our office to the street just here.
(He could have stopped by Legon to see his ‘backyard’ garden; the one he doles out more money than he gives his wife and three children put together)
Wife: I know. I know. So sorry. May be you should stay a bit late in the office so you don’t have to waste so much fuel in traffic.
(The lucky bastard gets a valuable permit to sow and reap from his garden.
Hubby: That is a good idea.
Roads in Sunyani vs. Roads in Accra
In Sunyani: There are pot-holes too. In Sunyani, the small small pot-holes that spring up are covered within an appreciably few days.
In Accra: Accra does not have pot-holes. Accra has man-holes and galleys. Huge man-holes and galleys! The type that could gather enough water for a 3 year old to think it is a dirty swimming pool. These man-holes are strewn across Ghana’s national capital – the much heralded Gateway to Africa. They only get filled when the road is near the Mayor’s home or when some other top official uses the road regularly.Or they get a facelift when the President is expected in the vicinity.
Electricity & Water
In Sunyani: Power in Sunyani rarely goes off. Even if it does, you can be sure it will come back on sooner than it will take you to go find your rechargeable lamp.
In Accra: If your power goes off in Accra, you’d be lucky to have it back in an hour…sorry, in 6 hours.
In Accra: Rain and power supply are mutually exclusive in Accra
In Sunyani: Rain and power supply are not exactly mutually exclusive in Sunyani.
In Accra: Getting huge or several water storage facilities is not an option in Accra. It is a requirement of life, regardless of where you live.
In Sunyani: You do have an option. After all, your taps will either run all the time, or there is enough clean underground water for you to mechanize a well into your home.
Sunyani vs. Accra
© Kwame Gyan
Just love this comparism, about the agent and the wannabe tenant hehehehe
thanks.very good blog and very good share.
Just love this,keep writing.
me luv it
funny but true
Wow! I’ve lived in both towns (cities?) and I can relate well to the story. Nice one there, Kwame.
Wow! This stuff is dope. You should consider writing a novel. This is something many Ghanaians
can relate to.
relocating in my mind…will manifest it in the flesh soon….what?
This is completely unreasonable, exaggerated and bogus. There is no sense in it. I am not sure my little brother in JHS would even write such nonsense. Please relocate to Sunyani if you like. After all, you are from the Bono Ahafo region, abi. Nonsense!
Wow!
Kwame, you are so spot on. I’ve lived in both cities but Sunyani will forever remain dear to my heart. What an awesome place
I love this..estupendo!
Dats vry true. Infact u aa vry creative.keep it up.
Excellent piece.don’t know sunyani but everything about accra is true.kudos
Hi there. I google searched “power in Sunyani” and found your blog. I’m really glad I found it because now I have hope that I may have electricity more often than I anticipated. I’m moving to Sunyani for a year. I’d like to ask you some more questions if you’re up for conversation!? Thanks:)
Sure Megan. Drop me an email, pls.