The Urban Platform of Ghana is a network of professionals and enthusiasts with interests in urban development in Ghana’s cities and good urban development practices globally. The Platform brings together knowledge, experience and contributions from more than 170 professionals with discussions, debates and information sharing. In the wake of Accra’s deadly flooding disaster of June… Continue reading Accra’s June 3rd Floods: Looking Back to Move Forward
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Schools prepare for Independence Day, Ghana style [video]
As March 6th approaches, in schools all over the country, teachers and students prepare for the infamous Independence Day parades. A celebrated ritual of patriotism on national days, children file along roads, marching in line to music in synchronized steps. Here’s a short video of students in a school in Ghana’s Central Region preparing for… Continue reading Schools prepare for Independence Day, Ghana style [video]
On clean drinking water in Lagos: Many options, few solutions
In Lagos, the systemic challenges facing urban water infrastructure affect each and everyone, from the wealthy oga in his corner office on Victoria Island to the impoverished beggar eking out his subsistence on a walkway in one of the city’s slums. While all are affected, the degree to which the pang of the water crisis affects each person is… Continue reading On clean drinking water in Lagos: Many options, few solutions
In Accra, people and their bikes create a subculture
A 2010 World Bank study on Accra estimated that only 1 to 4 percent of people in the city ride bicycles, whether to work, to school, to shopping activities, or for leisure. According to an earlier study by the Centre for Cycling Expertise, a Ghana-based, non-profit organization focused on promoting cycling and walking in cities, the… Continue reading In Accra, people and their bikes create a subculture
Why we should stop talking about legalizing gay marriage and start talking about civil unions for all
This is an editorial and a notable detour from my usual urbanism-related articles. It was only a few days ago that American President Barack Obama made another first by declaring his political support for gay marriage in the United States. As expected, this move that has split the American public on an issue that is already… Continue reading Why we should stop talking about legalizing gay marriage and start talking about civil unions for all
On the long, long life of a plastic bag
I stumbled upon this greatly thought-provoking video on the longevity of plastic shopping bags (“rubbers”), pollution and environmental impacts. The video, aptly titled Plastic Bag, is a short biography; for 18 minutes, viewers see plastic bags from their own perspective, and we follow one’s journey from its first use (just after conception) to…well, not death,… Continue reading On the long, long life of a plastic bag
When It Comes to African Wax Prints, Buying Local, Thinking Global Isn’t As Easy As You Think
GTP and ATL African wax prints on sale at Kaneshie Market, Accra, Ghana When many think of African fabrics, the first thing that comes to mind is wax prints: the brightly colored, geometric, symbolic designs on fabric sported by Africans and those living inside (and more and more outside) of Africa. A recent article on the history of… Continue reading When It Comes to African Wax Prints, Buying Local, Thinking Global Isn’t As Easy As You Think