Felix wants to do a story about the prison here in Central Region. We don’t have an appointment but Kwamina decides to try our luck and just turn up at their gate. Indeed we are lucky and are allowed to meet the officer there without difficulties. However, he says in order to conduct an interview, we have to ask permission in Accra. We thank him for his time and he thanks us for our interest and that is it.
We are back in the car and I don’t know where we are going to. Kwamina stops here and there, leaves us for a while - “I am coming.” or “Just a minute.” - and then we continue. “One last stop”, he says and pulls up in front of some shops when suddenly we hear a pang. Kwamina tries to turn and make it to a fuel station but is stopped by a man in one of the shops who waves at him hectically. There is a big cut in one of the front tyres. This really is the last stop then, I think. However, we get help and soon the tyre is exchanged.
We are supposed to meet the President of Central Regional House of Chiefs, the Chief of the Chiefs of Central Region today. He also is the board chairman of Central Press and Kwamina wants him to give Frances her certificate as she is leaving Central Press this Saturday. We are late when we arrive at the House of Chiefs, but he is not there anyway, so we wait on some coaches at the reception. There is a circular hall with impressive chairs and I guess that is where the Chiefs meet. In the middle of the hall on a table is a small pool of water. Apparently, the roof is not good. Hours later, the Chief arrives. He is on his way to Accra to meet the President but he still takes his time for us. We are lead to his office which for once really looks like the office of someone of high rank and take a seat for a conversation with Dasebre Kwebu Ewsie VII. He signs France’s certificate and presents it to her. Of course, we document everything with pictures. After this formality, Felix improvises a short interview about the role of the Chiefs. When he runs out of questions, we say goodbye. It is surprising how easily we meet persons like this Chief. It is a very relaxed meeting.
