Accra

Pre-Colonial History

The word Accra is believed to come from the Akan word nkran , which means "ants", apparently due to the numerous anthills in the countryside around Accra. The city was founded in the 15th century, when the Ha tribes migrated there from the north. The location of the settlement was advantageous due to the remoteness from the main competitors of the ha , aquan tribes . Initially, Accra was not the most prominent shopping center, inferior to such ports as Ada and Prampram, as well as the internal shopping centers of Dodov and Akus. Nevertheless, Accra received the status of a center for the slave trade with the Europeans, who built several outposts near each other, for example, James Fort and Asher Fort. In the XVII century, the Portuguese , then the Swedes , Dutch , French , British and Danes built their fortresses in the city. Rapid economic activity continued in Accra until the abolition of the slave trade in 1807.

Colonial History

In the 1850s, Denmark sold Christiansborg and other forts to the British. In 1873, after decades of tensions between the British and the Ashanti tribal alliance, British forces attacked and practically destroyed the Ashanti capital of Kumasi , after which Ghana was officially declared a British colony. The British captured Accra in 1874. In 1877, at the end of the Second Anglo-Ashantine War , it replaced Cape Coast as the capital of the British colony Gold Coast . This decision was made primarily due to the fact that Accra had a drier climate compared to Cape Coast , and not so suffered from tsetse flies , thereby allowing the use of animal transport.

When the administrative center of the colony was transferred to Accra, the influx of British colonists began. The city began to expand to accommodate new residents. Victoriaborg formed by the end of the nineteenth century as an exclusive European residential area, located east of the city limits of that time. The borders of Accra were further expanded in 1908, after the outbreak of the bubonic plague. This expansion entailed the creation of areas intended to accommodate exclusively indigenous people, as a means of combating the overpopulation of the city center. Adabraka, north of the city center, was built as an enclave for the Muslim population.

One of the most important decisions in the history of the city was the beginning of the construction of the Accra-Kumasi railway in 1908. The road was built to connect Accra, the country's main port at the time, with the main cocoa production area. In 1923, the railway was completed. By 1924, cocoa became Ghana's main export commodity. Accra was the main exporter of cocoa until 1928, this was one of the main reasons for its rapid growth.

British rule had a strong influence on what Accra became during this period. For example, racial segregation of districts was mandatory by law until 1923, and all new buildings had to be built of stone or concrete. Nevertheless, the British government was very reluctant to invest in maintaining urban infrastructure or carrying out public works. The situation did not change until Sir Frederick Gordon Gugisberg became the governor.

Among the achievements of Gugisberg was the construction of a bridge over the Corle lagoon in 1923, which opened land west of the lagoon for settlement. Gugisberg also oversaw the construction of hospitals and schools. Such measures led to an increase in the population of Accra due to the migration of rural residents into the city, and also contributed to the immigration of a large number of British businessmen and administrators.

After World War II , the Ridge and Cantonment districts were planned as cottage areas for Europeans , while many rural migrants settled in areas that were not yet included in the municipal borders of Accra, such as Nima or New Town. Thus, the development of these areas was not regulated by the state, which led to the formation of huge slums.

Another area that developed at that time was the central business district. Most of the administrative buildings were built on High Street, forming a massive judicial administrative complex. In addition, economic development has contributed to the construction of many commercial buildings in the central business district.

In 1944, urban planner Maxwell Fry developed a city plan, which was revised in 1958 by B. Trevalion and A. Flood. Despite the fact that the Fry-Trevalion plan was never fully implemented, it illustrates the British vision of how Accra should have developed.

Postcolonial History

When Kwame Nkrumah became the first Prime Minister after declaring Ghana's independence in 1957, he created his own Accra development plan. Instead of arranging areas for the life of the elite, Nkrumah sought to create a city that inspires a sense of national pride in the Ghanaians with its public facilities. As you can see, neither the British nor the authorities of independent Ghana thought too much about the convenience of ordinary people.

Instead of creating decorative fountains and a large parliamentary complex, Nkrumah decided to build attractions such as Independence Square, the State Palace and the building of the Organization of African Unity, as well as rebuild Kristiansborg Castle. Nkrumah decided to stop the development of coastal areas so as not to distract attention from the new structures to which he attached symbolic significance. The Nkrumah plan did not imply decentralization and anti-overpopulation measures, unlike the Fry-Trevalion plan, on the contrary, additional state and commercial institutions were transferred to the central business district. The consequences of the implementation of this ill-conceived policy townspeople have to deal with so far.

Today, Accra has several major tourist attractions, including the National Museum of Ghana, the Ghana Academy of Sciences and Arts, the National Archives and Central Library of Ghana, the National Theater, the National Culture Center, the lighthouse and the national sports stadium.

The city is a major transportation hub, thanks to the Kotoke international airport and railway connections with the cities of Tema , Sekondi-Takoradi and Kumasi . Accra is a popular venue for national and international business conferences.

Accra is located in the south of the country, on the coast of the Gulf of Guinea and occupies part of a hilly plain covered with savannah. The climate of Accra is affected by the proximity of the Atlantic Ocean and the large Volta River. The city is located in the tropical monsoon climate zone , with pronounced rainy seasons - large (April-June) and small (October). Despite the fact that Accra is located in the northern hemisphere, the winter months are hotter than the summer. This is explained by the prevailing winds at different times of the year: in the summer the wind from the Atlantic is cool and raining, while in the winter dry and dusty winds carry heat from the Sahara .

The population of Greater Accra is approaching 4 million people, and is increasing annually by 3.3%. Over 99.9% of the townspeople are black . There is a small (about 2,000 people) community of descendants of immigrants from Lebanon and Syria , which plays an important role in the economy of the city. In recent years, the Chinese community has been growing rapidly. Accra is a very young city, 56% of the population is younger than 24 years old.

Accra has developed the oil refining , textile , food , metalworking, automotive, woodworking and pharmaceutical industries, and in recent years the real estate market has been developing rapidly. There is a stock exchange (GSE). Most of the city’s large companies are controlled by Lebanese, British or Chinese capital.

Many residents are engaged in artisanal jewelry production, selling fruits and vegetables on the streets. Here is a large market for diamonds and cocoa beans ^[2] . More than 70% of Ghana's production capacity is located in the metropolitan area.

Accra is a major transportation center. The city has an international airport Kotoka , railway, port ^[2] . Passengers are transported around the city by private minibuses (known as Tro - Tros), buses and taxis. The road network of the city is 1,117 kilometers, of which 918 kilometers are paved.

• In 1957, the National Museum was founded here ^[2] , which exhibited a collection of African ceramics, wood products and bone.
• The works of the sculptor Eric Anang .
• Botanical Garden ^[2] Aburi (30 km from the city).
• Drama Theater " Ghana Playhouse ".
• One of the sights of the capital is the Makola market.
• Forts ^[2] :
  • Usher ( 1605 , former Dutch Kroekwer);
  • James ( 1673 , English);
  • Christiansborg ( 1657 - 1659 , Danish).

Football is one of the most popular sports in Accra. The most famous football club in the city is Harts of Oak , which holds home games at the Ojen Jan stadium, which seats 40,000 spectators. In addition, Accra is the birthplace of one of the most titled French football players, multiple winner of the UEFA Champions League and Super Cup , world and European champion and winner of the Confederations Cup Marcel Desailles .

• On May 9, 2001, a stampede occurred in the Ojen Jan , killing 127 people.
• June 4, 2015 at a gas station in the city a powerful explosion occurred. As a result of the accident, 96 people died on the spot, the total number of victims exceeded 150 people.

•   Chicago ( English Chicago ), Illinois , USA ( 1989 ) ^[5] ;
•   Washington (DC) ( eng. Washington, DC ), USA ( 2006 ) ^[6] ;

• Accra, Ghana
• Accra Peoples of the World