Long Weekend Ahead!!!
The day before the long weekend starts and as it coincides with a month end pay weekend, everyone happily toddled off at 12. So here the expats sit trying to complete a quote which has to be in by tomorrow. At least the client apologised for the timing, and as business is business one does what one has to do.
The lads have wizzed off to the client to have a look at some of the trickier aspects of the installation and we await their return.
With the long weekend, the original idea was to scoodle off to Accra and attack the night life there. That idea has faded into the distance and everyone seems to be doing their own thing. I have sent all the chefs and houseboys home for the long weekend and us expats will fend for themselves for the next four days. Easter is a family time anyways and the lads do need some time off.
What am I going to do this long weekend. Well assuming I finish the quote, I am going to take time and do the touristy thing. Canopy Walk (one of a kind walking above the canopy of the forest), Slaves Castle and other historical features around Cape Coast. My camera will be working overtime and hopefully I will be able to post some nice pics next week.
That assumes it all happens of course, but it would be a nice opportunity to get in there and do the tourist stuff.
A few days ago one of the mine trucks – those really big ones where if you stand next to the tyre you look like a dwarf – was driving down the main Tarkwa road (why I have no idea) and reached a point in the road where a culvert was been laid. Avoiding the hole on the left hand side, the truck happily collapsed the right hand side verge and we were left to marvel at a 100 ton truck half way down the hill blocking off the road.
In order to get around the truck, I was forced to use a new road which they are busy building which is theoretically meant to act as a bypass road once they start resurfacing the main road. The road is a bit narrow and bumpy, but what it has done is cut at least 10 minutes off the trip. Ergo I am now using that road every day. The aforementioned truck is still there, but the roads contractor has temporarily widened the road and filled in the culvert hole. I would love to hear the driver’s explanation on how he avoided the small hole on the left and fell down the big hold on the right.hand side.
We have been getting wonderful rain and it cooled down dramatically yesterday to around 22 degrees at night. I actually turned off the aircon in the lounge as I was getting a tad cold. That’s a first for me. Today we back to normal temperatures.
I have mentioned in previous blogs the high interest rates charged by the bank, and today’s paper has Stanbic Banks results. Net profit after tax of GHC15 billion on a Net interest Turnover of GHC43 billion. That’s a 35% net profit. License to print money in my book. Interest received to Interest paid ratio is 3.26 times and commission and fees received exceeds interest paid. Shareholders enjoyed a 19% return on Shareholders funds.
It seems like it is bank reporting time as ECOBANK reported their results as well.
Net profit after tax of GHC 87 billion on an interest turnover of GHC 177 billion. Net profit percentage *49%*. Interest received to paid ratio is 3.45 times and once again commission earned exceeds interest paid by a substantial amount. Shareholders return is 36%.
One thing the banks are not doing here is assisting in the development of the country that’s for sure!
On strange court decisions, a blind 74 year old man raped a 14 year old girl in Accra a while back. He was sentenced yesterday. The sentence? He was “banished” from Accra to his home village and his SISTER was charged to ensure he never shows face in Accra again. If he was found in Accra, his SISTER would be imprisoned. Ludicrous is the word that immediately comes to mind!
There is a wonderful picture in the local paper of a building in Tamale (near Accra) built ACROSS the road. I wonder seriously what went through the owner and builders mind as they built the house. I can imagine “wow that is nice, the roads department has leveled my building site for me”
Crime is still a major story in the press with a suspected armed robber been shot and killed by police. One way of avoiding strange court decisions I suppose.
Our thought police have installed new firewall software, which has in effect blocked out a few of the sites I visit as “not been business related”. 702 is one of them, and I honestly miss out on their concise business news reports and local Gauteng news. I wonder for how long one will be able to blog.
I cannot understand how they ship you up to the jungle and then disallow sites from being accessed to the only communication link that we have. Let’s make life difficult for the lads in Africa seems to be the statement.
That said! Hope the Easter eggs are chocolate and unfertilized, and the long weekend was a good rest for everyone. All five of you… yup – John and Jane have joined the comment line. Welcome!
The lads have wizzed off to the client to have a look at some of the trickier aspects of the installation and we await their return.
With the long weekend, the original idea was to scoodle off to Accra and attack the night life there. That idea has faded into the distance and everyone seems to be doing their own thing. I have sent all the chefs and houseboys home for the long weekend and us expats will fend for themselves for the next four days. Easter is a family time anyways and the lads do need some time off.
What am I going to do this long weekend. Well assuming I finish the quote, I am going to take time and do the touristy thing. Canopy Walk (one of a kind walking above the canopy of the forest), Slaves Castle and other historical features around Cape Coast. My camera will be working overtime and hopefully I will be able to post some nice pics next week.
That assumes it all happens of course, but it would be a nice opportunity to get in there and do the tourist stuff.
A few days ago one of the mine trucks – those really big ones where if you stand next to the tyre you look like a dwarf – was driving down the main Tarkwa road (why I have no idea) and reached a point in the road where a culvert was been laid. Avoiding the hole on the left hand side, the truck happily collapsed the right hand side verge and we were left to marvel at a 100 ton truck half way down the hill blocking off the road.
In order to get around the truck, I was forced to use a new road which they are busy building which is theoretically meant to act as a bypass road once they start resurfacing the main road. The road is a bit narrow and bumpy, but what it has done is cut at least 10 minutes off the trip. Ergo I am now using that road every day. The aforementioned truck is still there, but the roads contractor has temporarily widened the road and filled in the culvert hole. I would love to hear the driver’s explanation on how he avoided the small hole on the left and fell down the big hold on the right.hand side.
We have been getting wonderful rain and it cooled down dramatically yesterday to around 22 degrees at night. I actually turned off the aircon in the lounge as I was getting a tad cold. That’s a first for me. Today we back to normal temperatures.
I have mentioned in previous blogs the high interest rates charged by the bank, and today’s paper has Stanbic Banks results. Net profit after tax of GHC15 billion on a Net interest Turnover of GHC43 billion. That’s a 35% net profit. License to print money in my book. Interest received to Interest paid ratio is 3.26 times and commission and fees received exceeds interest paid. Shareholders enjoyed a 19% return on Shareholders funds.
It seems like it is bank reporting time as ECOBANK reported their results as well.
Net profit after tax of GHC 87 billion on an interest turnover of GHC 177 billion. Net profit percentage *49%*. Interest received to paid ratio is 3.45 times and once again commission earned exceeds interest paid by a substantial amount. Shareholders return is 36%.
One thing the banks are not doing here is assisting in the development of the country that’s for sure!
On strange court decisions, a blind 74 year old man raped a 14 year old girl in Accra a while back. He was sentenced yesterday. The sentence? He was “banished” from Accra to his home village and his SISTER was charged to ensure he never shows face in Accra again. If he was found in Accra, his SISTER would be imprisoned. Ludicrous is the word that immediately comes to mind!
There is a wonderful picture in the local paper of a building in Tamale (near Accra) built ACROSS the road. I wonder seriously what went through the owner and builders mind as they built the house. I can imagine “wow that is nice, the roads department has leveled my building site for me”
Crime is still a major story in the press with a suspected armed robber been shot and killed by police. One way of avoiding strange court decisions I suppose.
Our thought police have installed new firewall software, which has in effect blocked out a few of the sites I visit as “not been business related”. 702 is one of them, and I honestly miss out on their concise business news reports and local Gauteng news. I wonder for how long one will be able to blog.
I cannot understand how they ship you up to the jungle and then disallow sites from being accessed to the only communication link that we have. Let’s make life difficult for the lads in Africa seems to be the statement.
That said! Hope the Easter eggs are chocolate and unfertilized, and the long weekend was a good rest for everyone. All five of you… yup – John and Jane have joined the comment line. Welcome!
1 Comments:
Have a hoppy Easter, lil bro! By the way, have to agree with you on the block out of 702, I still listen to 702 everyday at work - a way of keeping in touch with S.A.
Love you lots *hugs & Kisses*
Post a Comment
<< Home