The more things change, the more they stay the same? A familiar depiction of present-day Accra, Ghana, but this speech was made in 1946: “Accra is a town like Freetown. During the war, its water and electric services have had to do double work, and it has surprised me that they have managed to go on working… Continue reading On “Town Planning in West Africa”
Tag: history
Dakar and Gorée Island: Linking history, tourism and local economies
With its just over one thousand residents, Gorée Island sits two kilometers (1.2 miles) off the coast of Dakar, Senegal. For tourists, the small island is a recognized cultural destination and UNESCO World Heritage site, based on its famed history as a slave-trading station as part of the Trans-Atlantic slave trade. But for island’s residents and businesses, it’s… Continue reading Dakar and Gorée Island: Linking history, tourism and local economies
Exploring the slave castle, tourism and urban economic opportunity at Cape Coast
“Please, it’s somehow deep,” the tour guide warns as each member of the group climbs down into the dark cell. “Come closer and take a look, but watch your head.” Each descends, one by one, away from the slave castle’s bright exterior and into an inner chamber, engulfed in near total darkness. This is Cape Coast,… Continue reading Exploring the slave castle, tourism and urban economic opportunity at Cape Coast
Whose city is it, anyway?
The residents who form the backbone of Accra’s economy live in poor, high-density areas and are open to harassment by authorities. To develop into a fair and livable city, Accra will need to resolve this and other issues of inequality, says Victoria Okoye for UrbanAfrica.net. “Accra has always had a dual personality, right from its beginnings,”… Continue reading Whose city is it, anyway?