oilcity magazine issue 3

8/13/2019 Oilcity Magazine Issue 3

1/21

VOL 2 / issue3

Oil citym a g a z i n e


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Dialogue, 2003, Acrylic on Canvas, 43 1/8 x 62 1/2 (109.5 x 159 cm.)Read about Rikky Wemega - Kwawu on pages 18 and 19


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The taste of traditionBen Shaws soft drinks since 1871This range of flavours has stood the test of time, famous for its

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E-mail: [email protected] [email protected]

W H O L E S A L EPRODUCTS AVAILABLE

- RED ROOSTER energy drink- FABULOUS (bottled dandelion &burdock and original shandy)- ISOTONIC SPORT drinks- Flavored waters & juices

Importers of natural comodities (rice, sugar, etc..)


4/21

Executive editorSub editor

Graphic design,photography,

& ad developmentMarketing

Evangeline SmithTeresa

LuciaSpike, Lucia& Rahman

CONTACT

Phone

+233 (0) 545 29 45 67(Lucia)

[email protected]

Websitewww.oilcityghana.com

FacebookOILcity magazine

DISTRIBUTION

T a k o r a d i :

Oil sector ofcesand staff houses

&Spikes

Champs Sports barTillysSaharaScoops

Captain HooksAirport

Africa Beach HotelHan PalaceWARA

A c c r a :

Venus, OsuAlliance Francaise

Galaxy, A&C shopping mallWARA

OUR BUSINESS PARTNERS

WEBSITES:

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THANKS TO THE

CONTRIBUTORS:

Bristow

Irrita RaismaaMantse Aryeequaye

Kwesi BlackDr Lynda DeckerCarolina Melisa

Cover page

Thanks to Felicia Ankrah for being a model fora moment

Printed by

TYPE

Akwaaba!

The cover of this, our seventh issue, reects themany faces and places, colours and stories, whichmake up our vibrant city of Sekondi-Takoradi.

Inside we bring you stories about some of thetalented people in our midst and the diverse activitiesgoing on around us.

We talk to local artist Rikki Wemega-Kwawu abouthis work which features in collections all over the

world; take a look at Ghanas rst international scubadiving centre now operating in the Western Region;

visit Princes Town to explore the only slave fort inGhana with Germanic connections; and check out a

few Tadi social functions.

Happy reading and dont forget to look usup on Facebook.

Editori

aL

Evangeline SmithExecutive editor

Oil city m a g a z i n e team

OilCityMagazine www . o i l c i t y g h an a . c o m 7


5/21


6/21

Helicopters are a common sight these days in the skies aroundTakoradi, another sign of the developing oil and gas industry.Bristow Helicopters is one of three helicopter companies currentlyoperating here. The companys eet of Sikorsky 76s is easily recognizableby its blue, red and white livery.

Bristow, which has its head ofce in Houston, Texas, is one of the worldslargest providers of helicopter services and was the rst civil helicoptercompany to work in the oil and gas industry. Today it specializes in themovement of personnel to offshore production platforms and drilling rigsincluding those in the Western Region. The company is committed to along-term association with Ghana with plans to train local staff in the

various occupations required for its operations.

The Chief Engineer David Coady and Chief Pilot Martin Bull at theTakoradi base say while helicopter technology continues to evolve thereis great emphasis these days, by both companies and customers, on safetyfeatures. David Coady says their helicopters operate under rigorous safetymeasures as they must be compliant not just with Ghana Civil Aviationregulations but also with oil industry standards and with European aviation

legislation as their helicopters are UK registered.

In other countries where Bristow operates it provides Search and Rescueservices and emergency services as required alongside its passengerservices. It also contributed assistance to the response to the massive oilspill in Gulf of Mexico last year.

While ying in helicopters retains an aura of glamour for those of us whodo not do it every day it is routine for the pilots; however, for those in the

Western Region theres the consolation that its not unheard of to get abirds eye view of a whale!

There are always twopilots during the ightin the cockpit, purely

for safety reasons. Thecaptain sits on the right

with co-pilot on the left.Normally the captain

takes care of the ying

and co-pilot takes careof the radios.

Put the yellow fuelselect levers in position

to open fuel supplyto engines. Push stat

button on the blackengine control leversto start the engines.

The speed limit for helicopters is145 knots per hour (airspeed).This measures how fast it is

travelling through the air, not howfast it is travelling over the ground.For example, if the head wind is 80knots and the indicated airspeed is

80 knots the aircraft is standing still.The ground speed is measured by

GPS.Helicopter cannot y higher then

8000ft.

The fuel required iscalculated based on

destination and conditionsof the day (bad weather takesmore fuel in case a diversion

is required).Payload (how many

passengers/baggage) canthen be calculated.

Weather reportis given from theTakoradi airport

tower every morningdetailing wind,

visibility, pressure andrain at Takoradi air

force base.A weather report is

also obtained from thedestination(rig)before

each ight.

Switch on theelectricical power

both AC(alternatingcurrent) and

DC(direct current).

Both enginetemperatures, speedand torque levels.

Weather radar isscanning the clouds

aheade.g. red means heavy

rain.

Articial horizon -shows the altitude

of the aircraft

Passengersweight and passengers

luggage weight is checkedbefore the ight takes off

from Takoradi airport. Priorto each ight every passenger

must go through securityscreening and immigrationchecks at both sides - theairport and the rig. The

passengers are required toview a safety brieng videobefore each and every ight,even if the passenger returns

the same day.

Six radios workingon differentfrequencies

Four VHF - twofor navigationand two for

communication.One radio for

ADF (automaticdirection nder)

and one fortransponder.

Cyclic levercontrols helicopter in four

directions(pitch forward and back and

roll left and right).

Collective lever moveshelicopter up and down.

The aircraft is equippedwith autopilot. The main

purpose of this is toreduce the pilots workload.

Temperature in thecockpit dependson the outside

temperature andventilation fan.

GPS shows thetime to destination,

distance todestination and

direction.

H e l i c o p t e r 1 0 1

0 OilCityMagazine www.oilcityghana.com 11


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outwestGhanas rst international dive centre is now openat Miemia just a 90 minute drive from Takoradi.Kedas Lodge is both PADI and VIST compliant andoffers diving opportunities for beginners through tothe more experienced.

Dive Centre Managers, Silvia Steffens and MichaelVegelahn, say one of the great things about divingin the Western Region is that the underwater lifeis unaccustomed to seeing divers so the sh are ascurious about the divers as the divers are about them.

Fish here dont know divers and they arent shy.Well be swimming along, see a school of red snapperpassing by and when they spot us they come back foranother look to check us out.

Other sights to be seen include huge barracuda upto 1.5 m long, buttery sh, parrot sh, sepia sh,lobsters, sea horses, unusual spider crabs with blueand yellow colouring, moray eels, colourful snails andoctopus.

There are courses and guided dives suitable foreveryone including children, with the dive seasonrunning from August through to March.

Alongside diving Kedas offers a wide variety ofactivities in the water and around. The Lodge rentsout snorkelling equipment, shing rods, jet skis,kayaks and a small Zodiac for kids. There are whale

watching trips from August to November when youcan see humpback whales close at hand as they reartheir calves in the bay. Guided tours to Nzulezo stilt

village, Ankasa Conservation Area, nearby slave forts

and other attractions can be arranged, as can trips inlocal shing boats.Accommodation is also available and the Lodge hasa restaurant and bar.

Kedas works closely with the neighbouring villageemploying most staff members locally.

For more information visit the website: http://www.kedaslodge.com or Kedas Facebook page: KedasLodge and Watersport-Center.

Axim beach hotel

ACCOMODATION

Prices range from $10 (budgetsingle room) up to $180 USD fora beautiful family villa. All pricesinclude breakfast and VAT.

Extra guests - $10 per person.No charge for children under sixyears of age

During the high season anadditional 20% is added to theroom rate.

SPA

Axim Beach Hotel is excited toannounce that it will be adding anew service to its guests.

The hotel will soon start providingtraditional massage and relaxationtherapies.

Please check our website forupdates on these services.

Box 180m Ghana

A, MasterCardAmerican Expresspted - no surcharges.

Telephone:00233-342-22260 or00233-31-92397

Fax: 00233-342-22706

ome to Axim Beach Hotel!Hotel is situated directly on a sun-drenched tropical beach and offers guests total relaxation. The Hotel provides traditionalnaian style accommodation with modern facilities and genuine local hospitality. Come and enjoy our magnicent long sandy beach,ous fresh food and the African way of life. Axim beach is situated on the coast near the tropical rain forest of Ghanas Westernn, 270 km from Accra and 55 km from the port of Takoradi.

ANNUAL ACTIVITIES

Christmas and New Year20th December 2nd January

Activities include beach party, buffetand barbecues, beach bonre, traditionaldrumming and dancing and re works.Easter Thursday Tuesday

Activities include beach party, buffet andbarbecues, beach bonre and traditionaldrumming and dancing.

Kundum FestivalEvery August, please check exact dates

with Reception. Traditional Africannight with local cuisine, drumming anddancing.

HOW TO GET TO AXIM

Axim is located 55 kilometres west ofTakoradi. Keep following the coast road

through Agona and Abora and follow thesigns and turn-off to Axim. Driving timeis approximately one hour from Takoradi.

If taking public transport from Accra,purchase a ticket at STC bus station onRing Road - Accra to Takoradi. Distancefrom Accra to Takoradi is 220 kilometresand takes approximately three hours.From Takoradi take a mini bus or taxi to

Axim. Upon approaching Axim, there aredirectional signboards to the hotel.

Mobile:00233-24-4885920 or00233-24-321106800233-20-8188772,00233-20-8121753 or00233-27-5557449

e-mail:[email protected]

www. aximbeach.com

2 OilCityMagazine www . o i l c i t y g h an a . c o m 13


8/21

What made you act?I was always fascinated by acting and began withroles in high school theatre. I was determined to g o onto the National Academy of Dramatic Arts in Romebut many people apply every year and only a few canactually get there. I tried to get in three times before I

was nally successful with my fourth application.After nishing I started in the theatrefollowed by some small

roles int e l e v i s i o nseries theneventually a role inmy rst movie which

was A Man in Love madein 1987.

Which countries have you worked in and how doyou cope with the different languages required?A nice part of the job is you do loads of travelling. Ivebeen to Canada, Spain, Zimbabwe, Tunisia, Morocco.

Youre paid to do something which is fun! In lmsyou are in a team. You start a project together, youmeet lots of interesting people and you make friends.I studied Arabic in Egypt, and lived there for threeyears. I even acted in Arabic in a theatre which taughtme a lot. Sometimes in acting you might prefer tochange a word to make a speech suit you more and tobe more natural. However, if its not your language youcant change anything. I speak six languages: Arabic,English, Italian, French, Danish, and German. Oftenactors from different countries are acting together.

The movie will then be done in the most commonlanguage and dubbed for other countries.

Lots of people know you in Takoradi but theydont know youre an actor. Why not?Not all actors are funny, crazy, extrovert people, somecan be shy. When I speak in public I am still shybut acting is different, you take on the mask of thecharacter which protects you.

How do you manage to cry in front of the camera?When you study acting, they teach you how to useyour voice properly and techniques how to cry, laughand live with the emotions of people. Techniques arenot enough though, there must be natural talent andyou must study body language, how people respondto different emotions. Acting is like a game but it mustlook natural to pull the audience in. When you cry in amovie, you really cry. You need to think of the saddestmoment of your life and use it for that particular scene.So you are going through two realities, that of actingand your own. You are using your own life which iscreating the groundwork.Stanislavsky was a famous actor responsible for theStanislavsky method which is emotional recall. I usethis too. Its like you have a drawer with memories,connected to emotions, and once you need to behappy or sad you pick one memory and use it. Youthink of your most painful or most happy momentsand use them.

What about movie scenes in which you are killed,how are they done?

There is a saying that if you die in the movie, it willbring you luck as an actor - I have died in a couple ofmovies! You have a pill in your mouth which you biteif you are shot in the head. It releases fruity red liquidso it looks as if blood comes out of your mouth.

Do you think its true that we tend only to likemovies in which we can see ourselves?

We all want to recognize the feelings in the movie thatwe feel ourselves. If you dont have empathy with thecharacter, then you wont nd it interesting. If you havea feeling that the movie is trying to f ool you you wontaccept it. Last century movies were more theatrical andexaggerated. Now acting is as natural as possible.

Would you like to act in a Ghanaian movie?I would LOVE to act in a Ghanaian movie, I wouldlove to. I have lived in Ghana for a couple of yearsbut havent met any movie makers or producers yet.I think I have limited options in Ghanaian movies, asIm European. Maybe, if there was a cross cultural

movie I could be in that.

What brought you to Ghana?I married my Ghanaian wife when I was studying

Arabic in Egypt. Our son was born and three yearslater, in 2008, we moved to Ghana. Since then wehavent left again. Occasionally I would travel, if anopportunity for a small role arose, but my family ishere so I would not leave them for long time alone.

We lived in Takoradi and I really came to like the city.Now that we live in Accra I miss it. In Takoradi it iseasy to make friends.

If someone said that the quiet Italian sitting beside you in aTakoradi bar was a movie star, would you believe it? Well, its true!While many people in Takoradi would reconize Michele Melaga asa familar face around town almost noone knows that millions of

people all over the world have seen him on the big screen. Hes playeda range of characters in lms and television dramas with his mostrecent role being that of a chemist in the 2009 lm Duplicitystarring Julia Roberts.

STARSl o v e G h a n a

M i c h e l e M e l e g a



9/21

Put some paint where it aint:

the Chale WoteStreet Art Festival

The rst ever Chale Wote Street ArtFestival took place in July and was ahugh success due to the fact that those

who shared the rst simple idea thengot behind it with teamwork and artistictalent.

The idea began at a talk party in Osuback in March. The monthly discussionseries is hosted by Accra [dot] Alt,a multimedia group that promotesalternative arts and culture in Ghana.We were tired of talking about change.It was time to take action and generate a

viable economy for art in this city. ChaleWote is now well on its way to makingAccra a cultural hotbed and internationaldestination, says lmmaker and

Accra [dot] Alt coordinator, MantseAryeequaye.

Photograpy by Kwesi Black

With only three months to plan and a limited budget, more than a dozen young creative professionalsrolled up their sleeves and got to work on the largest free urban festival ever to hit Accra. The result:a 12-hour fantastic street maze of live action art stretching from the Mantse Agbonaa to the old KingsWay involving buildinggrafti + street painting, bike/skateboard/rollerblade street stuntin parties, artinstallations, experimental theatre, a fashion circus, drumfunkbass music, spoken word and a live musicconcertnever before seen on this scale in James Town.



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His work features in collections around the world

with one of his most recent commissions being aset of works for the prestigious new Movenpick

Ambassador Hotel in Accra.

Growing up in Sekondi-Takoradi, Rikki says he enjoyedpainting from an early age and, as he puts it, bugged my

parents to buy me watercolours. When other boys were busyplaying football he and a group of friends painted together.

Later, at high school, Rikki decided to apply for engineeringschools in the United States, thinking that it might be possiblethere to gain an engineering qualication while also pursuinghis art interests. When application forms called for informationabout the applicants extracurricular activities he would send

off a couple of paintings with the form to showwhere his interests lay. Staff at one school in Illinoiswere so taken with his work they displayed it on theirwalls where it caught the eye of African-American artdealer Ronnel Walton. So impressed was he that hecontacted Rikki directly and sent him three suitcasesof art supplies, some of which he still uses today.

Walton then visited Takoradi himself bringing moresupplies and suggested that Rikki should take up a

position as an art teacher at a private school in America.

Visa problems put paid to both that idea and engineeringstudies but, passionate as he was about art, Rikki decided toeducate himself. He visited libraries all over Ghana readingextensively about art, history and philosophy through whichhe realized that many world-renown artists, Picasso to name

but one, never completed formal art studies. From then on hemade painting his lifes work and over the years has developedan international following. In 1998 he was accepted into anadvanced course at the prestigious Skowhegan School ofPainting and Sculpture in Maine, USA, an honour usually onlybestowed on those with post-graduate academic qualicationsin art.

Working in oil, acrylic and sometimes in other media Rikkiis equally comfortable in abstract or pictorial methods. Myrealistic works are characterized by humanistic tendencies. Iam stimulated by life around me; people, landscapes, gure inlandscape and natural forms. I capture the rhythm, heartbeat

An interview with

Rikki Wemega-KwawuArt around us

FISHING BOATS, ADINKRA, DURBARS AND PHONECARDS ARE JUST SOME OF THE INSPIRATIONTAKORADI ARTIST RIKKI WEMEGA-KWAWU DRAWSFROM EVERYDAY LIFE AND THE PEOPLE AROUND HIM.

THE THOUG HTS OF M Y PEOPL E:THEIR PHI LOSOPHI ES, SENSIB ILITIES

AND VALUES, THEI R MODE OF WORS HIP,THAT WHICH THEY BELI EVE IN A ND WHICH

GUIDES THEIR DAY-TO-DAY LIVING.

and passion of my people: their joys, theirsufferings, their moods, their aspirations andtheir destinies. I am very much interestedin the activity of light in three dimensionalspace and how best to render such imageryin a two dimensional painting.

In his abstract works he says he tries tond visual imagery to deal with the magico-mystical realities of the African spiritualand religious world. The thoughts of mypeople: their philosophies, sensibilities and

values, their mode of worship, that whichthey believe in and which guides their day-to-day living. As a painter, it is incumbentupon me to make known the thoughts ofmy people, to portray the lasting manifoldspirit of Africa. I am seeking, therefore,an art of spiritual regeneration, to try toget to Africa, show how it is experiencedand felt in totality. My work invariably, hassomething to say in search of a modern

visual expression of religious meaning.

In 2007, Rikki assembled around 4000used pre-paid mobile phone cards in aninstallation titled, Kente for the Space Age.

The cards came from various countriesincluding, Malaysia, the United Statesand the United Kingdom, though most

were from Ghana. They were woventogether with plastic twine in a syncopatedrhythm, mimicking the vibrant colours andcompositional design of the traditionalGhanaian kente cloth. The work hasdisplayed to much critical acclaim in majorexhibitions in the UK, USA, South Africa,

The Netherlands and Germany.

Rikki is keenly interested in Adinkra andother African writing systems and hasincorporated this widely in his work. A keyinuence in this area has been the Swisspsychoanalyst, Carl G. Jung, and his ideaof the Common Unconscious or UniversalMind which connects us all no matter where

we come from. As Rikki puts it, A personfrom Germany responds to an Adinkraeven if they have no understanding of themetaphor it portrays which a Ghanaian canread. Symbols and art can speak to us allno matter what our different languages orcultural heritage are.

u can nd more information about Rikkis work on

w.facebook.com - Rikki Wemega-Kwawu

Kente for the Space Age, 2007 (detail),Used phone cards and plastic twine

Drum Appellation, 2005,Acrylic on Canvas

Ashanti Saga, 2005,Oil on Canvas

Royal Umbrellas, 2010,Acrylic on Canvas

Just One Day, 2003,Oil on Canvas



11/21

Didyouknowif you

balanceyourphases

correctlyyoucan

reduceyoura y t o d a y

runningcosts,andprevent

therisksofover

l o a d i n gand possiblee l e c t r i c a l

fres?

Electrical Installations:Commercial/ Industrial /Domestic All Electrical works carried outby fully qualied JIB Engineers tothe 17th Edition IEE Regulations,using only British Fittings that areCE and British Safety Standardapproved.

All Electrical works carry agenuine 1 year parts and labourguarantee with a manufactures

warranty of 25 yearson most cables used.(subject toterms and conditions at the timeof installation)

Genuine 24HR CALL OUTSERVICE and CALL CENTRE

FREE surveys and quotations

All Electrical works andinstallations are tested andcerticated

Service and MaintenanceContracts Available

Mechanical Installations:Commercial / Industrial / Domestic

Motor Rewinds and Repairs 24hrand 48hr service (Depending onKw Rating)

Pump Installations and Repairs

Hydraulic Hoses 4 and 6 wiresupplied and tted

Generator Service / Sales /Repairs

Gas Installations carried out byGas Safe Engineers and all worksare performed to the British GasSafety Regulations.

Full Plumbing and InstallationService

Genuine 24HR CALL OUTSERVICE AND CALL CENTRE

Service and MaintenanceContracts Available.One Years Parts and Labour

Warranty on Most Works

Swimming PoolInstallations and Design:Residential / Commercial

Swimming Pool Maintenance andCleaning Service

Swimming Pool ChemicalSuppliers

Suppliers of Pool Pumps andEquipment

Onsite Employee TrainingCourses / COSHH and SafeHandling of Chemical Products

Air ConditionInstallations:Residential / Commercial / Industrial

Sales / Service / Repairs

Installations

Small buildingmaintenance worksundertaken

Single Solution was rst established in 1989 in the UnitedKingdom and carried out Installations and worksmainly for the Armed Forces, but as the companyenjoyed a good growth level, and due to the contracts beinggiven to the larger companies who could cover a wider area,Single Solution sourced local works within the CouncilHousing Sector.

Single Solution has gone from strength to strength over theyears, and even through the current recession its work levelhas been strong, and this is down to qualied Tradesmenand women who pride themselves in giving a service secondto none.

After several trips to Takoradi over the last few years, anda gentle push from close friends we are now pleased to

announce, the company is here trading as Single SolutionEngineering Services & Co. Ltd, based at Favor House justoutside of Takoradi, and now open for business, and canassure you of the same quality of workmanship that weoffer in the United Kingdom, here.

All materials that we use are sourced and stocked directlyfrom the UK so we can offer that essential guarantee thatno one else is offering here in Takoradi, and with our UKbuying power in hand we can secure extended warrantyperiods from the manufactures, which we then pass ontoyou, for that most important peace of Mind.

S e r v i c e s O f f e r e d

Company Moto:

SAY WHAT YOU DO, AND DO WHAT YOU SAY

Over forty years experience

Accredited Distributorsof Nexans Kabelmetal Products

ISO CERTIFIED MANUFACTURERS OF

ALL TYPES OF ELECTRIC CABLES

Single SolutionEngineering Services & Co. Ltd

CONTACTAddress: Divine Favor House, Anaji-Apramdo Road,Takoradi, P.O. Box TD1 197Tel: 0547640384 24HROfce lines: 233 277209923 / 233 266668918

0 OilCityMagazine


12/21

Photographyby Lucia Rybarova

I am an OILciti-zen

Felicia Ankrah (21)Barmaid & a face of GlamorousGirl hair shop

I came to Takoradi three yearsago and soon found work.

Life in Takoradi is peaceful andyou can nd all you need to live

nicely: night clubs, lovely beaches,supermarkets good restaurants.Oil companies are bringing peoplefrom all over the world and

Takoradi is becomingmulticultural, a city of manynationalities. It is alittle-big city.

Shoot !!!me

All new in takoradi

Glamour Girl100% human hair extensions

and premium syntheticwaves

Hair types- Brazilian- Remy- Indian- Milky way- chocolate- Janet

Products andServices- brading- weaves- blow driyng- colouring- BIO oils- sleeks make up- body slashes- body creams- hair relaxers

Accessories- jewelry- exotic earrings- hair bands

ContactChapel Hill junction,next to Adwoa

Aframa mallUnder the yellowcanopy

Pages for hungry eyes, showcasingTakoradi citizens and their

different stories.



13/21

Photo competition

KONGO VILLAGE

by IRITA RAISMAA

The winner of this issues photocompetition is Irita Raismaa.Irita is a volunteer with the GLENprogramme which promotes globaleducation and awareness. She also

volunteers for Mondo, a small NGOfrom Estonia which is working withKongo village (Upper East Region) tosupport its widows and children, manyof whom are orphans.

1. A woman dancing for joy after receiving acoal pot funded by donations from Estonia.Life is tough for the widows in the village andeven a coal pot can bring some relief to hereveryday struggle.

2. Children always nd ways to enjoy agame. Like anywhere else in the world theyare smart, talented and curious. Children inthis area, however, lack opportunities for evenvery basic education e.g. reading and writing.Without those skills many of their talents willremain undiscovered or undeveloped.

3. Local tailor John sewing uniforms forchildren whose education issupported by Mondo. Every tailor of thevillage is commissioned to make about six setsof uniforms together making over 200 in total.

4. As most households in Kongo village do nothave electricity older

students gather under the open-air publiclighting of the village tonish their school work for next day.Abraham is a very hard-working student.

5. A galamsey searching for gold. Any goldfound is sold to dealers for very low prices.Uunderground gold mining is much moredangerous forminers but both approaches have a signicantimpact on Ghanas natural environment.



14/21

Fort Groot Friedrichsburg is unusual in beingthe only fort with German connectionsin Ghana. In 1682 a group of Europeannanciers established the Brandenburg AfricaCompany under the patronage of the GreatElector Frederick William of Brandenburg. Thefollowing year two of the companys ships landedat Pokesu (the original name for Princess Townor Princes Town as its also called). The AhantaChief of Pokesu ceded them the promontory onwhich the fort now stands in exchange for theirprotection against the Dutch and other slavetraders. Contemporary visitors to the area regardedthe Fort, named after the Frederick William, as oneof the most impressive buildings on the coast.Around 1716, however, the Brandenburgersabandoned the fort when they learnt that their ownland in Germany had been s everely ooded so theyreturned to help their kinsfolk rebuild houses andbusinesses. Chief John Conny, who was by thena merchant at the helm of a major trade network

in the area, took control of the Fort but was laterto lose it to the Dutch. Eventually the British tookcontrol in 1872.Today the imposing stone building has beenpartially restored and now serves as a touristattraction. Its even possible to spend the night inthe Governors former quarters or to sleep out onthe roof though mosquito nets would be advisable!

The Forts guide and caretaker, Joseph AkyeMensah, has worked there for 22 years and has a

wealth of knowledge to impart about the buildingitself and the relationship which has evolvedbetween Princess Town and Germany. In additionhes a great cook and with some prior notice willconcoct a delicious meal which you can enjoy ontop of the Fort as you look down to the beach,bush and town.

You can also take a relaxed canoe trip on the nearbyEhunli Lagoon or the Nyan River through largemangrove formations. Trained tour guides will helpyou spot monkeys in the trees and point out someof the aquatic creatures who live in the waters suchas red, blue and yellow crabs.

To get to Princess Town from Takoradi follow thesigns for Elubo. After Agona continue drivingtowards Elubo and after 13 kilometres you will seea sign for the turn off to Princess Town on the left.

The road is then unsealed and its about a 30-40minute drive (a 4 x 4 is a good idea during the rainy

season) to Princess Town itself.

For more informationsee the Ghana West Coast website:

www.ghanawestcoast.comJoseph Akye Mensah can be contacted on: 024 326 9469

FortGroot

Friedrichsburg

Perched on a hill overlooking the stunningly beautifulPrincess Town beach lies a Prussian-built stone fort, anincongruous sight amid tropical bush.Completed in 1685 it is one of approximately 60 forts andcastles along Ghanas coast which bear testimony today to theabhorrent slave trade which scarred West Africa so deeply.

6 OilCityMagazine


15/21

Electrical goods, electronics, computers & accessories

SPIKE'Sbar and res tau ran t

pub & restaurantintercontinental &

Ghanaian kitchengarden/open terrace

live musicflat screenpool tableFree wi-fi

location: Ama akroma

road, opposite police

station

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Home appliancesautomatic voltage stabilizers, stand, ceiling, desk & industrial fans, LED, LCD plasma TV, box TV, tv antennas, chestrefrigerators, air conditioners, beverage coolers, microwaves, DVD players, juice extractors, washing machines,

tumble dryers, blenders, freezers, stereos, cookers, irons, kettlesComputers and accessories

desktops, laptops, netbooks, mini laptops, printers, cartridge toners, surround speakers, hard drives, routers, pcicards, keyboards, mouse, usb cables, laptop bags

VISIT US

@ Market circle, Takoradi. Opposite Beach road taxi station. Tel: 031 - 2022700@ Adwoa Aframa Mall, near Chapel Hill School on Shippers Council road. Tel: 031- 2027889 / 2027804

Email: [email protected]

For your everyday l ife

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16/21

ExcitedCoca

colateam

withmanage

rMrAlbert

Attionuadd

inguptoth

e

blitz.

RLG Regional salesmanager Mr Thomas

Adda celebrates one ofthe many goals scored

by his team.PrimestoneQ

uarrywent

homewiththetrophy

and2000GHc.

Event

coordinator

JerryKwame

Ayensutalking

upthetourney

vibes.

VATPROMr.CHarles

Gyiwainpossesionoftheball

Cowbellsampling session

time runningduring thewhole day.

chant bank team with the assistantnch manager Mrs. Faustie Agbotui-Nyaho.

The fans were the biggest winners onthe day when Melody FM recentlyorganized a football tournament forbusinesses in its catchment area. Notonly did spectators get the chance tosee 12 games of football it was also live

streamed on radio with Kojo Darkoanchoring the event and ManuchoMacdreamy, Emmanuel Nixon Eshunand Ko Asiedu helping him out withthe commentary. Overall oordinator was

Jerry Kwame Ayensu.

The tournament saw Merchant Bank, RLG,Ahantaman Bank, VAT, NHIS, Mantrac,Coca Cola, Promasidor (Cowbell), ValleyBeach Hotel, Primestone Quarry, StellarLodge/Champs, and Melody FM playingagainst each other in three groups. Eachgroup winner and runner-up then madeit through to the semis. Primestone andChamps fought it out in the nal withPrimestone emerging as the winner. The

victors collected a trophy and GHc 2000as their winnings.

Primary sponsor of the event was RLGwith Cowbell Milk providing the avours.

TAKORADICORPORATETOURNEY

I can beat my chestand again say Iam proud to be

Ghanaian and I love

you allMichael Essien

What better way to celebrate African Union Day thanwith the beautiful game?May 25 was a joyful day in Accra giving people a chance to relax,show their national pride and celebrate. Michaels Essiens efforts

to bring his buddies together for a fundraiser and to promoteawareness of peace really hit the bulls eye.

Held on a rainy afternoon the match pitched an African XI, ledby Essien himself and including Richard Kinsgon, NkwankwoKanu, Stephen Appiah, Kalusha Bwalya, Sammy Kuffour,

Asamoah Gyan, John Painstil, Salomon Kalou, Rabah Madjerand Yakubu Aiyegbeni against a World XI with Nick Hammanin goal teamed with Lockwood Matt, Nigel de Jong, FreddieLjungberg, Yaw Preko, Ellis Tebbunt, Quincy Owusu Abeyie,

Jalloh Musa Akeem, Florenet Malouda, Scott Smith. At the nalwhistle the World won out 4-2.

The event was a great success with Michael Essien sayingafterwards We really showed that Ghana is a peace lovingnation and knows how to have a good time. I can beat my chestand again say I am proud to be Ghanaian and I love you all.

African Union Day was a way to celebrate and promote peace bygetting Ghanaians and people from all over the world together.

News from the world of football

A celebration for Peacetook Accra by storm.

ByCarolina Melisa



17/21

New radio stationin Takoradi

July 15, Champs Sports bar,Takoradi

Y107.9FM spreads its tentacles

and launched its afliate stationin Takoradi on the frequency97.9FM.

Ghanas oil hub since 15th Julyhas a feel of the Y experienceand a uniquely different breeze ofentertainment and music lifestyle asthe city witnessed the birth of anotherbrand of Y FM in the Takoradi Metropolis and its environs. Thenew station, Y 97.9FM is ofcially outdoored in Takoradi as anafliate of the hugely popular Y FM in Accra.

Managing Director of Commercial Operations of GlobalMedia Alliance Broadcasting Company, mother company of YFM, Akwasi Agyeman explains that as the ofcial station forthe young and young at heart, we are always on the lookout foropportunities to get closer to our listeners across the countryand to bring unmatched world class quality entertainment totheir homes, ofces, schools and wherever they are. He addedthat there have numerous calls on us to spread our tentacles

with the vibrant Y brand and so this is just a part of our listening

culture and the openness that set us apart in a very competitiveindustry.

According to the Station Manager of YFM, Nana KwameSarpong who also doubles as the presenter for Drive of yourLife says, YFM is poised to take radio entertainment to a higherlevel with more refreshing programmes, presenters and eventsthat will take the oil city by storm. The launch of our afliateradio station in Takoradi is a reection of our total commitmentto bringing quality entertainment to the doorstep of Ghanaians.

We are most grateful to our discerning listeners and we promiseto make our growing family more exciting especially now that our

CTSL customerappreciation evening

June 16, Africa Beach

Local IT solution company,Certied Technology Services

Limited (CTSL), hosted a cocktailevening at the Africa Beachrecently to give customers andstaff members a chance to socializetogether.

CTSL started out in Takoradi inSeptember 2008 with just twopeople making up its staff. Todaythe company employs 22 people,21 of whom are Ghanaian ITspecialists. CTSL provides ITservices and solutions in all areas ofthe oil and gas and mining industriesand throughout the private sector.It currently has around 100 clientson its books, both corporate andprivate.

Guests were welcomed to the eventby Ian Heyns, CTSLs ManagingDirector who is based in Dubai.He took the opportunity to updatethose gathered on new CTSL

products becoming availablein the elds of data security andrisk management. The GhanaCountry Manager, Tony Morison(pictured), based in

Takoradi, was also on hand towelcome guests.

Vienna citygrand opening

July 15, Vienna City

Well-known venue OceanBar closed its doors earlier

this year and, following extensive refurbishment, has reopened

as the state of the art Vienna City nightclub.Opening night was Friday 15 July. The VIP guest was theMayor of Sekondi-Takoradi Metropolitan Assembly Capt. (Rtd)

Anthony R. Cudjoe. The evening featured Nigerian top artistsand musicians of hiplife scene R2BBs.

Vienna City now boasts two brand new bars, an executive barupstairs, a restaurant, casino, pool tables and a night club. Anentrance fee and dress code have been introduced. The new

venue is fast becoming extremely popular. Vienna City is one ofa chain of nightclubs, restaurants and casinos in Accra, Kumasi,

Tema and now Takoradi which belong to Consul Games (GH)Ltd.

Jubilee partners spatialplanning project

launch

July 21, Raybow Hotel

The Ministry of Environment,

Science and Technology withthe co-operation of the Jubileepartners (Tullow Ghana, KosmosEnergy, Anardarko, GNPC, SabreOil & Gas and EO Group Ghana)launched the Sub-Regional SpatialPlanning Project at The RaybowHotel in Takoradi on the 21st July2011.

The press conference keynotespeaker was the Hon. Sherry

Ayittey - Minister of Environment,& Science and Technology andthe chairperson was DeputyMinister for the Western Region- Hon. Emelia Arthur, on behalfof the Jubilee Partners, they wererepresented by Dr. Anthony

Aubynn (on the picture) - TullowGhana Ltd.Hon. Emelia Arthur pointed outthe importance of Land planning inthe fast developing Western Regiondue to the newly found offshore

oil reserves. Once the last drop ofoil will be pumped from Ghanasoffshore assets, the generationsafter ours will still have land tolive on and the country will nothave to invest billions of dollars inrecovering the damages.

The project will be sponsored bythe Jubilee partners as part of theirCorporate Social Responsibiltyprogramme.

new baby has been delivered safely without any complications.

Here we need to mention that sponsors of the event was Smirnof,which is one of the succesfull brands of Guinness Ghana, andVodafone. And that all this happened in Champs Sports bar,coordinated by Nick Evett the GM of Stellar catering.



18/21

CONTACT:CarolinePearman-GMMedicalEvaluationandMarketing-CounselingPsychologistwww.westafrican-rescue.

comhelp@westafric

an-rescue.com

Phone:+2330302781258Cell:+

233244312497Fax:+2330302781259

350million people worldwide are chronic carriersof hepatitis B virus (courtesy CDC).Chronichepatitis B could result in hepatocellular carcinoma (liverancer). Vaccination is a simple, cost effective way of preventing

hepatitis B infection.

HEPATITIS B INFECTIONThe liver is situated in the upper right quadrant of ourabdomen and serves as a detoxier. What this meanss that anything that goes into our blood stream.e. meals, medication, vitamins, alcohol, rst passhrough the liver, is ltered, before micronutrients

and other factors are transported to where they areneeded in the body.The liver also stores energy for later use, helps indigestion and produces proteins important in ghtingnfection and controlling bleeding.The liver usually regenerates well after acutenammation and is an important portal in gettingid of degraded red blood cells. Bilirubin (yellow

pigment) is a byproduct of degraded red blood cells.When liver inammation occurs with impact on liverfunction, this yellow pigment cannot be eliminatedeffectively and levels rise in the blood stream givinga typical yellow discoloration of the eyes, skin, palmsand mucus membranes called jaundice.

WHAT IS HEPATITIS?

Hepatitis is inammation (irritation and swelling)of the liver. There are several things that can causerritation and swelling of the liverVIRAL HEPATITIS is inammation of the liver asa result of a viral infection. The most common and

clinically signicant is hepatitis B vir us. Others are theA, C and D viruses and Epstein Barr Virus. These willbe discussed in later articles.

ARE THERE ANY OTHER CAUSES OFHEPATITIS?

Yes. Certain medications may also cause hepatitis.t is important to take medications as prescribed

and use herbal preparations with care. Alcohol isalso a common cause of hepatitis. Alcohol inducedhepatitis is associated with long term use of signicantquantities of alcohol individual dependent. Severebacterial infections could also cause hepatitis.Autoimmune hepatitis may also occur.

HEPATITIS B INFECTIONIts an infectious hepatitis caused by the Hepatitis B

virus. The virus is transmitted by Direct contact with infected blood or bloodproducts Exposure to infected body uids Vertical transmission from mum to babyduring delivery. If mum is hepatitis B positivetransmission to baby would usually occur during

vaginal delivery. Caesarian delivery reduces risk of

transmission of vir us from a seropositive mother tobaby, by a signicant percentage.

HOW CAN I GET IT?You could get it through: blood transfusions, dialysis,and unprotected sex with a positive partner. Sharedneedles and unsterilized surgical equipment used inbody piercing, tattooing and like procedures put youat risk. Institutionalized care (including care givers& family members) and healthcare workers areparticularly at risk.

YOU CANT GET IT BY: Casual contact Hugging Shaking hands Eating or drinking water Aerosol dispersion (sneezing, coughing).

Once the virus gets into the blood stream, it causesan acute infection; within one to four months ofexposure, there may be a fever, headache, musclepain, vomiting and abdominal pain/discomfort frommild swelling of the liver. There may also be darkurine and pale stools. These symptoms may mimicseveral other febrile illness, malaria being the rst oneon mind in our environment. So its important to get aconrmation of diagnosis for any febrile illness.

Along with the fore mentioned symptoms, theremay also be yellowing of the eyes or skin/palms(jaundice), which may occur in 9 out of 10 affected.

The color change in the eyes and skin/ palms willdraw the clinicians attention to the fact that there issomething very wrong. 1 out of the 10 affected maynot show any eye or skin changes at all. In this groupof patients, the acute stage may proceed withoutconrmation of diagnosis.During the acute stage, your doctor will give yousymptomatic treatment; bed rest, lots of uids,

regular intake of small portions high energy foods/ uids, pain and fever relieving medications all in an effort toget you comfortable and also to rest your liver.If there is persistent vomiting, then hospital admission

will be required along with i.v. uids.It must be noted here that no specic treatment is requiredduring the acute stage. This stage will last a couple of

weeks or so, after which you should start feeling better.Recovery time is individual dependent.9 out of 10 infected adults are able to ght off the virus.

This group will have negative repeat hepatitis B antigentests at the 6 month time line complete cure.1 out of the 10 infected adults will still have positiverepeat blood tests. This group is outwardly healthy buthave been tagged by the virus and are called carriers;they carry the hepatitis B virus and can pass it on but areotherwise healthy looking adults.

The signicance of the carrier stage is the long term effectof the presence of the B vir us in the liver; over manyyears (individual dependent), the virus gradually changesthe structure of the liver increasing risk of cirrhosis andhepatocellular carcinoma (Liver Cancer)

CHRONIC HEPATITISChronic hepatitis B infection is just another name forthe carrier stage. It means, six months after the initialinfection, your blood test is still positive for hepatitis B

virus.The risk of chronic infection is much greater in childrenand 9 out of 10 infected children may fall in this category.

There are various tests your doctor can do to asses thisstage of hepatitis. Liver function tests along with hepatitisB proling will give information on how well your liveris working, whether the infection is old or new, whetherthe virus is resting or multiplying and how many viralparticles you have circulating. A liver ultrasound may alsobe ordered. This information will help your clinician planyour care.

TREATMENTAntiviral treatments are available for chronic hepatitis.These treatments reduce the ability of the virus tomultiply in the liver and in turn reduce liver damage. Most

of these medications require long term use.

HOW DO I PREVENT HEPATITIS BINFECTION?

The best prevention method is testing and vaccination.A total of 3 shots are required at 0, 1 and 6 months.Under special circumstances, your doctor may prescribean accelerated vaccination schedule.

For more information or enquiries, email Dr L [email protected]

Health MattersHepatitis B



19/21

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oilcity magazine issue 3

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