Ghana

[Rogue Valley]

I once spent 1½ years in Ghana which is a West African nation of about 32 million. Ghana has a coastline of ~335 miles on the Gulf of Guinea. The Greenwich Meridian passes through the city of Tema which is an industrial town about 16 miles east of the capital city Accra. The equator goes right under it so Tema is perhaps the closest location available to the "center of the world". It is the largest port in the country. The clock time in Ghana is the same as the clock time in London (UTC + 0). There are no Daylight Saving Time clock changes. Power generation in Ghana is about one-third hydro (Lake Volta is the largest artificial reservoir in the world) and two-thirds thermal. Power is fairly dependable in the Accra metro area, but iffy in other parts of the country (demand is outpacing supply) which hurts industry and development. Normal AC voltage is 230V 2-wire @ 50hz. European electrical items will work just fine, but electrical items from the US and Canada will require a voltage converter. I spent about a year in Accra (4.5 million), and another 6 months in Kumasi (3.5 million) which is Ghana's second largest city and located in a rain forest region near Lake Bosomtwe. Because of its tropical climate, gorgeous beaches, and dense rainforests, Ghana is a highly desired international tourist destination.

English is the official legal national language, but few are proficcient and of those that are the accent is British. Most people use one of the Akan/Ashanti family of indigenous languages (70+) for everyday use. Most people in Accra speak Ga or Dangbe. The predominant language in Kumasi is Twi. Before independence, Ghana was a British colony that was surrounded by former French colonies. If you travel along the coastline, you can still see many former British forts and castles. Some are museums and many are in disrepair. Some of these forts were a part of the slave trade with Europe and the Americas. About 75% of Ghanans are Christian, and about 11% are Muslim. They are actually far more religious than most Westerners. There are no religious problems. Ghana is a functioning democracy, and the people are perhaps the most friendly in all of Africa. Ghana has a tropical climate and two distinct seasons, the wet seaon and the dry season. Accra actually has two wet seasons, March-July and September-October with the heaviest rainfall occurring in June. The dry season occurs between November to February. A typical wet/dry day begins with a temperature of 84°F (feels like 94°F due to the humidity and Dew Point). Around noon the temp is 96°F (feels like 103°F). At night the temps will remain in the mid-low 80's. I never once saw the temp go below 60°F. Being on the equator, the sun is big and intense. The beaches are gorgeous, yet not inundated with too many people. Most people cannot afford a day of such leisure. Currently, 56.1 % of the population of Ghana is urban and the median age is 21. There are ~346 people per square mile. Every 48 seconds, the poplation of Ghana increases by one. The GDP is $60 billion annually. Ghana is ~90,000 square miles in size (a tad smaller than Oregon).

When it rains, it rains buckets for an hour or so. In Accra many streets have concrete side gutters that are about 2' wide and 3' deep to handle the intense downpours. This rainwater will evaporate. There are 16 districts and six independent towns in the Greater Accra Metro Area. These run the gamut from very poor to very wealthy. The very wealthy are mostly the white 'Obroni' (Ga = foreigners) who work as business/industry managers. There are also some very wealthy Ghanans who were educated in London etc. and returned home with degrees. The wealthy live in what are called the "Cantonments" which are secure gated communities. Crime in Ghana is actually very low. Property crimes (e.g., theft, robbery, burglary) are the most common crimes. Violent crimes are rare. Murder or rape can get you the death penalty, but no one has been executed in Ghana (firing squad) since 1993. Except for the Cantonments, every independent town in the Greater Accra Metro Area has a huge and sprawling outdoor business market that is difficult to describe. Maybe I'll try in the next installment here, whenever that may happen.

 

[Amelia]

Crazy to have few proficient at the official national language.

 

[Gateman_Wen]

I once spent 1½ years in Ghana which is a West African nation of about 32 million. Ghana has a coastline of ~335 miles on the Gulf of Guinea. The Greenwich Meridian passes through the city of Tema which is an industrial town about 16 miles east of the capital city Accra. The equator goes right under it so Tema is perhaps the closest location available to the "center of the world". It is the largest port in the country. The clock time in Ghana is the same as the clock time in London (UTC + 0). There are no Daylight Saving Time clock changes. Power generation in Ghana is about one-third hydro (Lake Volta is the largest artificial reservoir in the world) and two-thirds thermal. Power is fairly dependable in the Accra metro area, but iffy in other parts of the country (demand is outpacing supply) which hurts industry and development. Normal AC voltage is 230V 2-wire @ 50hz. European electrical items will work just fine, but electrical items from the US and Canada will require a voltage converter. I spent about a year in Accra (4.5 million), and another 6 months in Kumasi (3.5 million) which is Ghana's second largest city and located in a rain forest region near Lake Bosomtwe. Because of its tropical climate, gorgeous beaches, and dense rainforests, Ghana is a highly desired international tourist destination.

I spent a decade based in and around Cape Town South Africa and I couldn't tell you how many live there or in any of the neighboring areas. A bunch, I'm sure of that.

Google probably knows.

Power was pretty reliable, (in the city, not down on the Flats) but I don't know how it was generated.

Afrikaans is pretty easy to learn, but ,many people speak English too. Don't bother with the tribal languages, there must be fifty of them.

If you wanna see some amazing scenery go to the pondoland coast.



Stay off the flats unless you are fluent in Afrikaans and know your way around. The street kids will eat you alive before the gangs even get there.

 

[Rogue Valley]

Crazy to have few proficient at the official national language.

English is taught in schools (along with the local dialect) but is considered by most a legal language for documents etc. Most signage is also in English.

Since the local languages are mostly used at home and in the markets, English language skills do deteriorate over time.

 

[XDU]

I've stayed with a Ghanan family in an Airbnb here, and I met Ghanans while in college long ago.

Both times, I was informed about how they loved their homeland even though they came to America for the opportunity, but they found it awkward to identify with African-Americans here. They were religious like you said too, and I was able to talk with them very easily about a bunch of religious topics whether it dealt with grace, going to church, charitable activities, or sacraments. Both times, they didn't really like how African-Americans dressed, talked, or conducted themselves on a regular basis. They didn't like the slavery argument of historical oppression either because Ghana had been a colony as well as plenty of the rest of Africa, so those who lived there knew what it was like to be exploited but they didn't remain downtrodden about it.

It wasn't that they were trying to separate themselves from African-Americans either. They were just being themselves. They didn't play social games, they didn't manipulate appearances, and they didn't pull strings on social status. They were very meritocratic people and loved to be helpful because they cared to make the world a better place along with others who cared.

The way they smiled all the time was very welcoming. It wasn't a twisted smirk. It was an upfront and open form of support that really wanted to be successful, and you could tell because they were always DOING something. There was always something on the schedule that didn't waste time. Every moment was a step to making a bigger picture come together. They treated life like an epic, and didn't really connect with short-sightedness at all. That didn't mean they couldn't get lost in the moment. It just meant they understood how celebrations were supposed to be incredible.

 

[Rogue Valley]

English is taught in schools (along with the local dialect) but is considered by most a legal language for documents etc. Most signage is also in English.

Since the local languages are mostly used at home and in the markets, English language skills do deteriorate over time.

Eh, I didn't explain this very well I'm afraid. Ghana is a desired tourist destination on the African continent. The tourist industry is very large and successful there. So all Ghanaians who come into regular contact with foreigners speak very good [British] English as well as those employed in business management positions, and in places such as malls all sales people speak very good English. But for most Ghanaians, they are most comfortable with the local tribal language. Even in the open markets though, a sellers stall will usually have one person there who can converse in pidgin English. If a foreigner is going to spend a considerable amount of time in-country, I would highly recomend hiring a Ghanaian language tutor. I personally think a female tutor is better because women speak more clearly and annunciate words much better. And to be concise, the people living in Ghana are formally called Ghanaians (rather than the informal Ghanans as I tend to do).

 

[RetiredUSN]

You have been over to Tema Harbour then?

Spent 5 days there in 1990

 

[Rogue Valley]

You have been over to Tema Harbour then?

Spent 5 days there in 1990

Yes. One can easily get to Tema from Accra by taxi or tro-tro. It is the largest seaport in Ghana.

Tema has a huge oil refinery and a large industrial sector. It also has a bustling street market.

 

[Juin]

I once spent 1½ years in Ghana which is a West African nation of about 32 million. Ghana has a coastline of ~335 miles on the Gulf of Guinea. The Greenwich Meridian passes through the city of Tema which is an industrial town about 16 miles east of the capital city Accra. The equator goes right under it so Tema is perhaps the closest location available to the "center of the world". It is the largest port in the country. The clock time in Ghana is the same as the clock time in London (UTC + 0). There are no Daylight Saving Time clock changes. Power generation in Ghana is about one-third hydro (Lake Volta is the largest artificial reservoir in the world) and two-thirds thermal. Power is fairly dependable in the Accra metro area, but iffy in other parts of the country (demand is outpacing supply) which hurts industry and development. Normal AC voltage is 230V 2-wire @ 50hz. European electrical items will work just fine, but electrical items from the US and Canada will require a voltage converter. I spent about a year in Accra (4.5 million), and another 6 months in Kumasi (3.5 million) which is Ghana's second largest city and located in a rain forest region near Lake Bosomtwe. Because of its tropical climate, gorgeous beaches, and dense rainforests, Ghana is a highly desired international tourist destination.

English is the official legal national language, but few are proficcient and of those that are the accent is British. Most people use one of the Akan/Ashanti family of indigenous languages (70+) for everyday use. Most people in Accra speak Ga or Dangbe. The predominant language in Kumasi is Twi. Before independence, Ghana was a British colony that was surrounded by former French colonies. If you travel along the coastline, you can still see many former British forts and castles. Some are museums and many are in disrepair. Some of these forts were a part of the slave trade with Europe and the Americas. About 75% of Ghanans are Christian, and about 11% are Muslim. They are actually far more religious than most Westerners. There are no religious problems. Ghana is a functioning democracy, and the people are perhaps the most friendly in all of Africa. Ghana has a tropical climate and two distinct seasons, the wet seaon and the dry season. Accra actually has two wet seasons, March-July and September-October with the heaviest rainfall occurring in June. The dry season occurs between November to February. A typical wet/dry day begins with a temperature of 84°F (feels like 94°F due to the humidity and Dew Point). Around noon the temp is 96°F (feels like 103°F). At night the temps will remain in the mid-low 80's. I never once saw the temp go below 60°F. Being on the equator, the sun is big and intense. The beaches are gorgeous, yet not inundated with too many people. Most people cannot afford a day of such leisure. Currently, 56.1 % of the population of Ghana is urban and the median age is 21. There are ~346 people per square mile. Every 48 seconds, the poplation of Ghana increases by one. The GDP is $60 billion annually. Ghana is ~90,000 square miles in size (a tad smaller than Oregon).

When it rains, it rains buckets for an hour or so. In Accra many streets have concrete side gutters that are about 2' wide and 3' deep to handle the intense downpours. This rainwater will evaporate. There are 16 districts and six independent towns in the Greater Accra Metro Area. These run the gamut from very poor to very wealthy. The very wealthy are mostly the white 'Obroni' (Ga = foreigners) who work as business/industry managers. There are also some very wealthy Ghanans who were educated in London etc. and returned home with degrees. The wealthy live in what are called the "Cantonments" which are secure gated communities. Crime in Ghana is actually very low. Property crimes (e.g., theft, robbery, burglary) are the most common crimes. Violent crimes are rare. Murder or rape can get you the death penalty, but no one has been executed in Ghana (firing squad) since 1993. Except for the Cantonments, every independent town in the Greater Accra Metro Area has a huge and sprawling outdoor business market that is difficult to describe. Maybe I'll try in the next installment here, whenever that may happen.

You are well traveled. Congratulations

 

[joluoto]

I have always been fascinated by African nations picking their names, Ghana picked it's name from an old medieval West African state that did not hold any territory within modern Ghana (see also modern Benin). Always surprised they didn't take the name Ashanti, since the Ashanti Federation/ Empire held territory within Ghana (the western parts of the modern country).