If you havent taken a tro-tro before then you are dadabii paaa!! Tro-tro’s are public buses in Ghana found everywhere from Accra to Tamale. They are cheap but dangerous as the drivers ignore roadsafety at the expense of getting to their destination before their competition. The tro-tro experience is something to laugh about years later when one has purchased his or her own car. I have taken them from the time I was in JSS through to University and even a few times when I didn’t feel like driving to the market. I have had my dress torn, gotten a few skin cuts and even once fallen from the steps of a tro-tro! When sitting inside, the mate alone will make you laugh as he commands passengers to bring small change for their bus fare. Don’t ever sleep in a tro-tro; either you will be pick-pocketed or the bus will pass by your stop only for you to wake up at the bus station. When I didn’t have a car, I would be happy when the driver makes short-cuts and overtakes other slow drivers but now with my own ride, I am always shaking fists at their crazy driving! Life.

Have you ever wondered what the words at the back of tro-tro’s usually mean? We see them all the time and some are so hilarious you just have to wonder what was going through the drivers mind. Unable to hide my curiosity, I decided to go find out. I called my friend Nana to be my Twi-translator support and took loose change in case someone wanted money for their photos. After looking around, we decided to start from La Station in Labadi and the first driver we came across had SO THEY ARE at the back of his vehicle. I was shocked to discover that he wouldn’t agree to have his picture taken and the only thing he could say to explain the words was to translate it in Ga, NAKAI AM3 NYORR. This meant that he had experienced something in the past with some people and the only thing he could use to explain it was , ‘that’s how people are’. I couldn’t even get the mate to give us a pose. The suspicion surrounding our presence was so intense that I decided not to make enquiries and just capture photos of these vehicles. So we were being suspected of being journalists who were out to create problems for them. Wow! Even with the offer of money they declined. Smh.

We discriminate against our own selves. Interesting. Anyway, enjoy these photos and feel free to share.