Accra (North)

Northern Accra is a residential and business centre of Accra, and is the location of many of the city's most well-known hotels & businesses. The area also contains important landmarks such as the "37" Military Hospital, Golden Jubilee House, several important embassies, Achimota School, Achimota Golf Park, and the University of Ghana's Legon campus.

The Ghana-pedia map of the districts of northern Accra.

(Map courtesy of Google Maps)

Geographically, for the purposes of this article, we are maintaining the areas north of Ring Road West & Central, east of Winneba/Graphic Road, and west of Liberation Road to be regarded as 'northern' Accra, as far the districts of Atomic Junction in the north-east, Ofankor in the north, and Mallam in the the north-west.

Nsawam Road, just north of Kwame Nkrumah Circle. The signpost visible for the turnoff on the right is for Faanofa Road in the Kokomlemle district of northern Accra.

(December 2008)

Contained withing the perimeter of Winneba Road, Ring Road West, Nsawam Road, and the Kwame Nkrumah Motorway (west of Achimota Interchange) is the massive Kaneshie district, as well the districts of Tesano, Apenkwa, Abeka, Darkuman, and North Odorkor. While Kaneshie is predominantly a commercial & industrial area, it does contain some residential zones. The heavily congested Kaneshie Market is located along Winneba Road, and the area around the market serves as a business district within it's own right, with a large number of financial institutions present in the area.

 Mantse Boi Street in the northern Accra district of North Kaneshie.

(December 2008)

Heading north within this perimeter, the zoning changes from largely commercial/industrial, to commercial/residential in the areas north of Kaneshie. Noteworthy landmarks (aside from the Kaneshie Market) include the Metro Mass Transport (MMT) depot, Awudome Cemetery, and massive tro-tro station located along Ring Road West, the Azumah Nelson Sports Stadium, the Ghana Police Training Depot along Nsawam Road, and the huge Vodafone (formerly Ghana Telecom) exchanges in the Darkuman district.

Kokomlemle, seen from the Faanofa Road overpass along Ring Road Central (foreground) in northern Accra.

(February 2008)

Within the perimeter of Nsawam Road, Ring Road Central, Liberation Road, and the Kwame Nkrumah Motorway (east of Achimota Interchange) are contained some of Accra's most well known residential areas, and important business centres, including the districts of Kokomlemle, Nima, Accra New Town, Pig Farm, Ablemkpe, Dzorwulu, Airport Residential Area, Roman Ridge, and Kanda Estate. 

 Along Ring Road Central, the district of Kokomlemle is an important business district in Accra. This is no doubt owed to it's strategic location, near Kwame Nkrumah Circle, which is arguably the most important transport hub in Accra. Several iconic Accra businesses are located along Ring Road Central at Kokomlemle, including the Paloma Hotel complex, and Busy Internet, while just inland on Faanofa Road is the headquarters of Joy FM, which is one of Accra's most popular broadcasters.

 Immediately north-east/east of Kokomlemle is the districts of Accra New Town, Pig Farm, & Nima. Both are low-medium zoned residential and commercial areas, but form some of the most densely packed urban centres in the entire city of Accra. Choked with people and vehicles by day, these districts form some of the lower cost housing areas in the city. While in a western city, inner city real estate appreciates in value, in cities such as Accra, new areas are settled. As a result, these three district, particularly Nima, have devolved over time, and indeed, parts of these districts have become shanty towns that have become impossible to police, and a hotbed of petty crime.

Ghana-pedia You Tube video clip of a taxi ride through northern Accra. Starting at the Airport Residential Area, and driving through Roman Ridge along Patrice Lumumba Road, the taxi then travels along Kanda Highway, before crossing the King Tackie Tawiah Overpass which passes over Ring Road Central.

(February 2008)

Nima Road, which cuts through the suburb like a knife heading north, is an eye-opening scene to those uninitiated to Accra, particularly around the fresh food markets, which are in fact a roadside market. Here, vehicles give way to pedestrians who have spilled out onto the road to buy & sell produce, bringing traffic to a virtual standstill. Whoa be tide any vehicle that strikes down a pedestrian in this area - in this boro, the residents are known to take the law into their own hands !

 The leafy Airport Residential Area in northern Accra, one of the most well-developed & desirable residential districts in Accra.

(February 2008)

Surprisingly, the districts north and east of Accra New Town, Pig Farm, and Nima are in stark contrast - here, at districts such as Kanda Estate, Roman Ridge, and Airport Residential, which are merely separated by a main road, stands some of Accra's best residential areas. While Kanda Estate is a mixture of good quality tenements, courtyard, and private properties, Roman Ridge & the Airport Residential Area contain some stately private properties, and are both popular districts amongst Accra's more affluent residents. Furthermore, the area houses many of the foreign embassies and commissions located in Ghana.

Achimota Road in northern Accra.

(February 2008)

Important buildings within the area (excluding embassies & commissions) include Golden Jubilee House (the seat of government rebuilt on the grounds of the former Flagstaff House), the "37" Military Hospital, Accra Girls Secondary School, Alliance Française, Golden Tulip Accra Hotel, Aviation House, and The African Regent Hotel.

Tetteh Quarshie Circle, looking to the south towards central Accra. The large building on the right of the picture is The African Regent Hotel.

(February 2008)

An important junction is located at Akuafo Circle, which is the convergance of Achimota, Giffard, and Liberation Roads. This area is referred to locally as "37" (after the Military Hospital), and is an important transport juncture, and an important tro-tro stop in Accra.

Twilight in the Dzorwulu district of northern Accra.

(February 2008)

Completeing the districts in this location is Dzorwulu, which is a relatively prosperous business & residential area west of Tetteh Quarshie Circle, and Ablemkpe, which further west, between Achimota Road and Achimota Interchange.

Several massive and important districts are located north of the 14km stretch of the Kwame Nkrumah Motorway, between Tetteh Quarshie Circle & Mallam Junction.

Starting from the east along Dodowa Road (which is the continuation of Independence Avenue/Liberation Road north of Tetteh Quarshie Circle) is the sprawling University Of Ghana's campus at West Legon, the Achimota Forest Reserve, prestigious Achimota School, and the Achimota Golf Park. The districts north of these locations are largely newer areas of Accra, with the most well-known being Atomic Junction, so named on account of the nearby Ghana Atomic Energy Commission's research headquarters.

Achimota Interchange, one of the busiest areas in Accra, looking north from the Kwame Nkrumah Motorway's overfly towards the districts of Ofankor & Tantra Hills.

(February 2008)

Heading west, the main geographical point is the Achimota district, which is a vital transport area on account of the Achimota Interchange, which all vehicles travelling from Accra to Kumasi typically pass. North of Achimota is Ofankor & Tantra Hills, which are both relatively new but rapidly expanding residential areas. These areas will almost certainly grow in stature with the completion of the huge works to fix the section of Nsawam Road that is north of Achimota Interchange, which at the time of writing is in a deplorable state as a result reconstruction that will see the completion of a multi-laned motorway which will slash the travel time between Accra & Kumasi.

West of the Achimota/Ofankor area is the district commonly referred to as Lapaz. The modern day reference to "Lapaz" is actually considered to be several districts, namely Akweteyman, Nii Boi Town, and Abeka Lapaz (south of the Kwame Nkrumah Motorway). This rather hectic area is heavily congested, and teeming with traders and roadside hawkers, although relatively safe, and an excellent place to get an understanding of how day-to-day life transpires in Accra.

Finally, the districts of Kwashieman and Mallam are located at the western end of the Kwame Nkrumah Motorway. This area is one of the most congested in Accra, and indeed, the old single lanes of the Motorway simply cannot handle the massive traffic load. Mallam Junction, the T-junction of the Kwame Nkrumah Motorway & Winneba Road, which is a common way for traffic heading for the Central Region to take, is particularly choked with traffic and difficult to negotiate.