Accra is the capital and largest city of Ghana. It is also the capital of the Greater Accra Region and of the Accra Metropolitan District. Kumasi, on the other hand, is a city in the Ashanti Region of Southern Ghana. It is among the largest metropolitan areas of Ghana. Kumasi which is alternatively known as “The Garden City” because of its many beautiful species of flowers and plants, seems to be competing with Accra in terms of population, activity, and beauty. But, no matter how hard Kumasi tries, it cannot win the Accra vs Kumasi game! BuzzGhana has gathered the 9 major things you’ll find in Accra that are lacking in Kumasi.
1. The National Theatre, Accra
The National Theatre is located in the Victoriaborg district of Accra, Ghana. With a building area of 11,896 square meters (128,050 square feet), the National Theatre houses the National Dance Company, the National Symphony Orchestra, and the National Theatre Players. The National Theatre of Ghana which was built by the Chinese and offered as a gift to Ghana, officially opened in 1992. The building was equipped with a state-of-the-art fitting that makes it possible to host concerts, seminar, conferences and other large gatherings.
2. University of Ghana, Legon
The University of Ghana is not just the oldest but also the largest university in the whole of Ghana. It was founded in 1948 as the University College of the Gold Coast and was originally an affiliate college of the University of London, which supervised its academic programmes and awarded degrees. It gained full university status in 1961 and now has over 40,000 students. The University also has about 20 different institutions affiliated to it.
3. Makola Market, Accra
Makola Market is a renowned marketplace and shopping district in the center of the city of Accra. From its entrance, the market exhibit highly organized shops where varieties of products are sold. Constructed in 1924, Makola market stands at the heart of the urban Ghanaian life as it is one of the nation’s most important social and cultural institutions.
4. Django Bar, Accra
Often regarded as the home of Ghanaian celebs, this bar is owned by Ghana’s Hiplife godfather, Reggie Rockstone. Unfortunately, it isn’t two in the country and can only be found in Accra. The bar is located in Cantonments behind the Ghana Police Headquarters.
5. West Hills Shopping Mall
The 27,700m² West Hills Mall is not just the largest in Ghana, it is the biggest shopping mall in West Africa. The Mall offers a wide variety of product categories such as lifestyle, beauty, and wellness; electrical, electronics and telecommunications; banking and financial services, a pharmacy with consulting facilities, restaurants, clothing stores, gifts and other merchandise of high value. None of the malls in Kumasi can be compared to this.
5. KFC (Kentucky Fried Chicken)
KFC (Kentucky Fried Chicken) is a fast food restaurant chain that specializes in fried chicken and is headquartered in Louisville, Kentucky, in the United States. It is the world’s second-largest restaurant chain (as measured by sales) after McDonald’s, with 18,875 outlets in about 118 countries. This international fast food franchise finally opened a branch in Ghana and it’s located in Accra, not Kumasi.
6. Labadi Pleasure Beach
You will find nothing like this in the Garden City, there is no beach in Kumasi. The Labadi beach in Accra is really a place to be. There are several things you can enjoy at the beach aside from enjoying the coolness of the weather. For those who love fishing and meeting people, the beach is the best place to visit. You can as well visit the Turtle hatching site among other activities.
7. The Kotoka International Airport
The Kotoka International Airport in Accra, Ghana, is the country’s premier international airport and has the capacity for large aircraft such as the Boeing 747-8. There’s no international airport in Kumasi – too bad for the Garden City. See: Top 7 Best Airports in Ghana
8. Habor
Unlike Kumasi, Accra is near the ocean and that is just an awesome advantage over Kumasi. Don’t you think so?
9. The Independence Square, Accra
Black Star Square, also known as the Independence Square, is a public square in Accra, Ghana. Bordered by the Accra Sports Stadium and the Kwame Nkrumah Memorial Park, it is the second-largest city square in the world after Tiananmen Square in China. The Independence Square is one of Accra’s pride.
