Ghana 2009 Review

Jan 7

Prof. J.E.A. Mills and Mr. John Mahama are sworn in as President and Vice President respectively of Ghana, after a close run off with opposition party leader NPP's Nana Akufo-Addo

July 10-11

US President Barack Obama visits Ghana after attending G20 in Italy and addresses Parliament.

August

Chinese Ambassador donates Chinese language textbooks to University of Ghana, the privileged school to encourage teaching Chinese

Sept 6

Ghana national soccer team Black Stars beat Sudan team and became the first African nation to qualify for World Cup to be held in South Africa 2010

Sept 21

Ghana marks Centenary Celebrations of the birth of Dr. Kwame Nkrumah, the nation’s founder and first president after gaining independence in 1956.

Oct16

Ghana’s Black Satellites under-20 soccer team beat Brazil to win Africa’s first World Cup at the U20 soccer Championship held in Egypt.

Nov 10

MP runs his car into Parliament Speaker’s in an attempt to outsmart Accra traffic

Dec.

China tops Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) list for having the most registered companies in Ghana, but South Africa ranks the first in terms of the amount of the investment

U.S. Airliner Bombing Suspect Bought Ticket In Ghana

The suspected bomber of Northwest Flight 253 from Amsterdam to Detroit bought his KLM ticket 10 days ago before he carried out the attack. On Dec. 16, he purchased the ticket from a sales office in Accra, the capital of Ghana. He is now facing charges in the U.S.


How bad is corruption in Africa? Ghanaian President John Atta Mills refused to accept Christmas gifts from people for fear that will be considered as bribery. Even such gift-giving customs, so called hampers, are common practice in Ghana. (ireportGhana News)


Could a execution of a Briton heroin carrier by China cause a Sino-UK relationship to sour? Both sides have no softening their tones and the emotional side of the story will certainly stir up a lot of black eyes towards China and its legal system in Britain. (Reuters)

Bang for Banku

Have you heard or even tried the Ghana national soul food, an equivalent of chicken noodle soup in the U.S.? The difference, the Banku is WAY heavy and starchy.

Banku is such a starchy food, you almost need to eat and sleep. A young Ghananian friend in his 20s, educated in the U.S. and once worked in China, told me that he has a guilt feeling for not being able to eat Banku for lunch at work, but he don't want to be found sleeping on the job.

Banku is a starchy ball made of plantine, maze and other local grown grains. The ball is then put in a soup source, usually a light soup(not light at all!), groundnut soup or palm soup. And then it is added with a piece of chicken or fish along with chicken or fish source.

I recently discovered an excellent article written by a Ghanaian about Banku, both informative and interesting. Enjoy!

items of Interest

China, Ghana explore new ways to further collaboration. The Chinese ambassador Yu Wenzhe told an audience in Accra, Ghana. (GBN News)


Obama handpicked Nanfang Zhoumo (Southern Weekend) for only interview with a Chinese media while he visited Beijing last month, and now the top editor of Southern Weekend had been punished for that. You bet some one in top is not happy about it. (Reuters)


Thiland finds a plane full of weapons from North Korea en route to a third country. (Reuters)


After 10 year hilatus, China, two Koreas and the U.S. will start new round of Peack Talks. (Reuters)
Is North Korea desperate or a gesture for liver branch in the year of soccer world cup where North Korea will be a part of after decade of absense?


Fake receipts are creating huge problems and posign grave threats to Chinese economy. (TBS News)


A rule of 30 day advance notice was broken when Chinese vice president Xi Jinping wanted to pay a visit to Japanese Emperior, and Hatoyama administration pressed the office of Emperior to receive Mr. Xi. Should the rule be bent for the Chinese? A debate is on in Tokyo. (TBS)


Hatoyama's right hand man Ozawa took a 600-puls delegate visited Beijing. With or without a 30 day notice, Hu Jintao sit down with Ozawa and the two shared plenty of plesantries. (TBS)


The U.S. and Japan agree to open each other's sky. (TBS)


Still want more Maguro (raw Salmon fish filet famous for making shushi), it may not be there tomorrow. Japan signs the first international treaty to limit the fishing of Maguro in Pacific occean. (TBS)

Half Baked

Upon arriving in Ghana, the first thing you will notice besides potholes dotted roads and aggressively driving cho chos are half finished houses.

These houses can be together in a housing compound, like some huge mansions or villas, or they may be just some random living spaces, but they are all similarly half completed.

I heard that it is so expensive to build anything that is solid bricks or adobe with a real roof, instead of palm tree leaves, that people will build them over a period of time. It could be years, or even decades. In a good time, it may be shortened as more materials can be purchased with less time; when people have to tighten their own belts, the housing will be delayed and pushed aside.

Although it makes economic sense, I wonder how the final project will come out if it is build over a prolonged time, especially if any changes take place and inconsistency appears.

Are there better ways to bake the cake in one short?

Language Barrier

It seems everyone is talking about language barrier between Ghanaian and Chinese.

One director at the Ministry of Tourism here in Accra complained to me that the Chinese employers in Ghana are not hiring or training locals, due to language barrier.

Meanwhile, Economic councilor at the Chinese Embassy said the misunderstanding between the Chinese employers and their Ghanaian employees because of language barrier.

He urged Ghanaians to learn Chinese.

Considering 387 Chinese companies operating in Ghana, it could provide enough incentives for people who want to get ahead and improve marketability.

However, looking around, there are nowhere to see any advertisements for Chinese learning, while French, Spanish are abundant. A new Chinese language center, with the help of the Embassy, just established this year in the University of Ghana, the premier high education institute in Ghana.

The time will come for the barrier to eventually come down, and there will have many nascent language learners.

Dispatches from Africa

Here are some stories that catch my eyes:

Kilimanjaro Ice cap retreats faster and it could all gone in as little as 24 years. (from the photo, it looks it could be gone any time from now)


Sahara sun to help power Europe. (I wonder how long does it take for anyone here to tap the vast solar power in Africa. I am doing my part by making at least two large bottles of sun tea everyday!)


China launches 严打(Strike Hard) campaign in Xinjiang. (The new frontier has been a new unrest spot for China)


Even South Korea is struggling with race

Hajj Village

Nearby the house, several giant tents were set up for the coming Hajj, the annul pilgrimage to Merca.

The tents are separated into male and female use. The female one can hold 300 people and the male one holds 200 people at one time. According to a local news article, the tents are also equipped with air-conditioners and accompanied with a medical clinic and wash rooms. They are to host worshipers who will travel to Merca 48 hours before their departure.

Before the first ever Hajj Village, the people bounding for Merca had to camp outside amid 90 degree heat, delayed flights and luggages. Now at last they are able to enjoy the cool air and giant TV screens

The modern technology plays a role not only in mega worship halls with multiple screens, but also in the places that have limited resources. A local news article appropriately called it "a better deal for pilgrim".

Ecowas in Action

Economic Community of West African States is a regional forum for countries to take unified actions. The organization has been busy recently due to two major events that have attracted global attention.

Guinea military leader clashed and killed over hundred demonstrators, many women were reported to get raped by soldiers on the streets. It could result in immediate sanctions, but it took days for Ecowas and other regional and international entities such as African Union, EU and UN to put out condemnations.

Niger is another country whose membership got suspended by Ecowas. The country was charged for wide spread fraud in a recent parliamentary election.

For now, one thing may be true, Niger citizens won't be able to travel to other Ecowas countries without a visa, a privilege designated for every member states.

Fireworks in October

Locals put out a big fireworks on display on this past Saturday night, and there is a good reason for it.

The Black Satellites successfully and historically beat Brazilian team to win the first ever U20 FIFA world cup. Although it is a win for a youth team, it is still indicates a bright future for the Black Star, the national team.

The year of 2009 must be a year of Ghana, first it peacefully transferred power to a opposition leader in a closest election ever, next it welcomed a fist African American President visit, becoming the first sub-Sahara country to receive Obama and his family. A while ago, the Ghana soccer national team stormed through qualify round and became the first African nation to enter the FIFA World Cup next year in South Africa, now the tomorrow soccer stars shine in Egypt to bring Ghana another trophy home.

Viva to the soccer players for bringing some cheers and lifting the spirits.

Last Funny Man Standing

Standup comedy must be universal, and it is a smashing hit here in Ghana.

Pros and amateurs alike preform their props on TV, in theaters and at events around the town. They usually speak English, however, there are also standup performed in local tones, Twi and Akan languages.

The topics range widely from daily lives to foreigners, the other day, I heard one comedian was bitching about Chinese. Audience are usually young and a good mix of man and ladies. They seem to care less as long as it is funny.

Standup stars have a large following and treated like a celebrity, youtube videos like Basket mouth get nearly 150,000 views.

Along with the famed high life music, vibrant weekend clubs, stand up has established a place to stay in Ghana's culture scene.

Ghana Reaches U20 Final

Ghana soccer team-the Black Satellites flying pass Nigeria and will face Brazil in U20 world cup currently held in Egypt.

Sometimes it seems nothing unites more people than soccer, at least among male fans. A room-full of coworkers won't come home after work but choose to gather to watch the soccer match on TV. They cheer, chat and chill, everyone is having a good time.

Amid the recent Newmont chemical spillage into a river, a report of more poverty among females and a fight for controlling the Ghana oil field even before a drop coming out, the Black Satellites certainly add some cheer and lift the spirit here.

Chinese to Topple Exxon Deal For Ghana Oil

Just days after a $4billion deal announced between oil giant Exxon Mobil and Kosmos, to explore newly found oil field off Ghana coast in Gulf of Guinea, a Chinese company CNOOC wants to overbid the deal, the same company had to withdrew a bid for U.S. oil company three years ago due to mounting political uproars from Washington. ( Ghana Business News)


Not only in Ghana, China is also pushing for resources in nearby Guinea, where a crashdown on anti-government rally had result in over 150 deaths and intense international condemation. (Finanal Times)


Fake or substandard drugs are not new and they are the rule here in Africa. Now former French president Chirac wants international attention to address the issue. (FT)


A bribery trial involving a UK company revealed a dark and corrupt past in Ghana. (AllAfrica)


Mobile phones are everywhere in African cities such as Accra, now they are increasingly popular in rural areas as well. (New York Times)

Fight over Control

Who is more accurate, an African index researched by a foundation supported by a Sudanese born philanthropist or Harvard political science professor?

The NYT piece, titled contention over Rankings of African Nations, examined the two indexes of Africa's best and worst governed nation rankings, by Robert Rotberg and Mo Ibrahim, respectively. The article raises the question without answering it.

I am sensing there is another question, how deep a suspicion Africans have towards the west?

The people here are both formal and polite, even my 2 year old starts answering to parents with "Yes, Sir!" (I am not kidding).

The past colonial influence is ubiquitous, whether superficial or out of subconsciousness. However, a new African identity is not only growing and going strong, but proliferating among countries in the continent. Thanks to modern technologies such as mobile phone and Internet, especially the phones, Africa is the fastest growing market in the world.

Thus the core of the question lies in: who should has the final say?

Rio de Janeiro Wins, My Memory of Beijing Bid 16 Years Ago

I can only image how emotional people are when the IOC president announced the name, Rio!

Sixteen years ago in Xi'an, around the same time in 1993, the day when I got up at 3am along with many many coworkers, and we were all standing outside amid early morning chill and watching anxiously the only TV set available for the whole work unit, many of us were young and feeling strong about the Beijing's bid to host the 2000 Olympic games.

Finally the moment came, the president opened the exactly same envelop, I remember clearly the envelop because they all had the five ring mark. I held my breath, and my heart nearly jumped out of my chest. I had to look around to ease the breathlessness, and found that my colleagues, young in their 20s, many fresh out of schools and went through the 1989 Tiananmen student pro-democracy movement, looked just as tense as if they were ready to jump up and grape someone in their throats.

All in a sudden, no one utter a single word.
Some of us even closed their eyes.
But all ears were on the mouth that uttered the simple words....

I announce the host city for the 2000 Olympics......(the envelop was opened)

The moment was unbearable long and enduring.

Sydney!

OHHHHH.......Aaaa...........

Everyone looked confused and in denial. We turned to each other, as if the opponent has a answer for the obvious question: How come for we put so much hope, it could be busted like a balloon?

Still in disbelieve, people disappread into the predawn darkness, all the excitment, anexity, wish went along with them.

Tea or Coffee?

One of the few questions I asked the first I landed in Ghana is, what do people drink, Tea or Coffee?

Our social sponsor told me that people drink both.

It turned out that the answer is None.

It indeed is surprising and hard to believe, considering the past European influence, especially British one before the 1957 independence. However, I have yet to find a restaurant (except Chinese restaurants where you have to ask for Chinese tea) that offers tea.

Coffee seems to have expanded meaning of cafe, since there is a coffee shop nearby, and I had thought about going. Then I was informed that the coffee does not serve coffee, they serve meals.

I think I am on a quest to find the tea drinking or coffee drinking culture here, it may take some time, but it could be rewarding to learn more about a different culture, especially it is directly related to my favorite topics: Foods and Drinks.

All About U20

I wish it was a kind of UFO, but it is actual U20 that attracts all the attention now in Ghana.

The U20 stands for soccer world cup for Under 20 years old players, currently held in Egypt. If you meet someone on the street, especially a young men, he will tell you about the recent game in which Ghana's Black Satellites beat Uzbekistan by 2:1.

It could not be Ghana without talking about the national pastime, just like talking about the U.S. without baseball games. And when talking about soccer in Ghana, you will encounter street players around every corner of the city, much like pitchball to Americans and Ping-Pong to Chinese.

Speaking of soccer, Ghana's national team Black Star was beaten by Japanese team other day, and it was instant feeling of collective defeat. One local friend told me that before the game, the Japanese were beaten by Black Star every single time and they had been looking for revenge, and now they finally got it. He then clinched his teeth and I was feeling relieved for not being a Japanese.

Back to U20, as three time African Champion, Ghana team is heavily favored to take the World Cup. We will have to wait and see.

Ghana Cultural Lesson One

In Ghana, your family is not limited to your spouse and kids, but include your brothers or sisters and their children.

It has become a dilemma for doing business in Ghana, should you do American way of offering the health and other benefits to only the employee, and immediate family members, or would you follow the local rule of extending the benefits to both the employee families and his/her brother/sister's children?

In the World Bank's annual report of Doing Business in 2008-2009, Ghana is ranked 92 in ease of doing business, after China, which is ranked 89. Ghana is ranked 7 among sub-Sahara countries, after Mauritius, South Africa, Botswana, Namibia, Rwanda and Zambia.

Could the cultural factor have played a role in forming barriers of doing business in Ghana? As a matter of fact, most Chinese had hard time picturing the local Ghanaian enjoy a full public holidays and five day work week, since Chinese workers working on constructions or retails in Ghana seldom take any days off.

Today in New York City, Ghanaian president John E. Mills invited American business to invest in Ghana. At a Bank of America Merrill Luncheon, he told business and finance executives that Ghana won't disappoint U.S. investors.

Giant U.S. business players such as copper and gold mining firm Freeport has agreed to invest up to $1 billion in Ghana. The new discovery of oil field off the Gulf of Guinea has also fired up some interests from world energy players.

In the Wold Bank report, Ghana ranked poorly (153) in obtaining a construction permit and starting a business. The ease of doing business will be judged on the further improvement in these sectors.

The day I was called Oburoni

I wondered out for a quick grocery shopping, it was a relatively pedestrian friendly neighborhood and I was told there will be a small hut selling daily necessities two blocks away.

The trip itself was smooth, I found the store front and several Ghanaian were standing outside, I guessed they must be curious about my presence, and one lady said to me loudly, "Oburoni, Oburoni"

Oburoni is a "white man" in local language, and it is similar to "Lao Wai" (foreigner) in Chinese. Since late 1400, first the dutch settlers, then the German, the British, Ghana has seen oburoni influence coming in. Even the former president Jerry Rawlings has oburoni factor, he is half Scottish and half Ghanian. Oburoni is also a cultural factor in the sense that even many Ghanian returnees from overseas were called Oburoni, and that has made some feel uncofortable.

I was one of these at the store when the lady calling me "oburoni", I did pull up my sleeves and showed her that my skin color, which is yellow but not white, but she insisted, saying in local dilect Twi, I guess, something like you are still a Oburoni.

I think I will have identify self as a Oburoni, for now.

Journalists With Benefits

Last week, I came to a press briefing inside the Ministry of Information to get a feel of upcoming 2009 world tourism day celebrations, to be hosted by Ghana government this year. The Madam minister of tourism and several officers from the Ministry and subsidiary Ghana Tourist Board also presented.

The talks were long and eventless, the following Q&A was better. Several local journalists questioned a low or non-existent public awareness for the event inside the country, a female had to excuse herself after a emotional questioning session, the minister and her deputies recognized the problem but instisted that the efforts to address it were already put out.

After a nearly two hour monologue and heating Q&A, I was ready to head out of door but noticed a crowd jamming nearing the exit. In the center is a Minstry employee holding dozens of white envelops, and around him are journalsits eagerly looked at him. The staff then called names and gave out the envelopes.

That made me wondering what's going on. I stopped one and asked, and He looked at me like I was from outer space. "It is compensation for covering the event".

"what?! you mean, the money to pay every one to get there today?"
"Yes."

I later found out that the amount is around Ghana 10 cedis ($8), which is sufficent to get two meals and a tax fare in capital Accra. One senior reporter from Ghana New Agency told me some private companies pay even more, sometime as much as 100-300, and in a busy day, journalists usually go to three to four such "functions", and the money is called "soli", as a solidarity.

I had to admit that I was in shock for a while, I read some articles explaining journalists get paid very little here. For a freelancer, a most profitable newspaper pays 10 cedis per article, barely enough to cover the cost. Even worse, some publications simply don't pay at all.

Does the fact that journalists work for the benefits reflect the less transparency and higer cost of doing business?

Traffic Tragedy

Almost everyday you will spot traffic incidents here in Accra streets, whether it is a just a fender binder or something more serious, traffic is certainly a big headache for both drivers and regulators.

At the country's upper East region, 36 death were reported in the first half of the year, and most of them involved motor bikes. Potholes littered roads, fast driving trotros (local public van bus) and taxis, drivers talking on mobile phones, and cars driving crossing lines to avoid potholes, all these ingredients are recipes for tragedies.

The officers are blamed for the situation. I will wonder next, when will the big trunk missing road in front of our house be repaired?

China To Buy 36,000 Tons of Plam Oil From Ghana

Chinese company signed a deal with Ghana to buy 36,000 tons of palm oil, and promise to purchase more if Ghana can produce. The quantity is one eighth of the nation's annul produce of 243,000 tons.

Most palm oil producers in Ghana are small, and the deal is promoted by both parties to create more jobs for the local communities.

The deal, however, also includes a provision that China will also export rice and sugar to complement what was produced locally.

Akwaaba Accra

It has been one full month before I finally have a feel of settling down in Africa.

The coldest month here is August, with daily temperature around 25C (85F)so I am grateful for the pleasant change from sizzling hot DC. Now is also the cigar butt end of a raining season, so the sky is mostly overcast with only one short rain fall during the whole month.

Due to limited manufacturing factors in Ghana, most stuff are imported from Europe, China, Mideast and the U.S., the prices are quiet high considering the national average income is around $510. However, local produce are very reasonable, for example, 1 cedi ($1=1.46 cedis) can buy you a big bunch of fresh bananas, and locally grown vegetables are also inexpensive.

Billed the friendliest people in Africa, Ghanaian I met are hardworking, warm and ready to help. According to a local media who did a study on how friendly the people really are, there is a price you pay for the friendliness. They found that when one person entered a supermarket and asked for something in a nice way, no immediate services were tended. However, when asked for the same thing in a more bitchy way, the service was fast and professional.

I certainly can relate that to getting my internet service installed. After three weeks of back and forth, almost daily telephone calls to many different people who all seemed to be in charge but couldn't answer my questions, one trip matching down to the phone company and paying the service upfront, I got a fully functional internet access Today.

I can't help but comparing China with Ghana, I wonder, are there more to the development models that put China ahead?

Akwaaba means Welcome in Ghaninian
More to come, stay tuned.

So much for Softpower

While jogging around Accra, I found a street soccer game. The game itself is ubiquitous as the fist nation in Africa to qualify for the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa, Ghana lacks no soccer games around corner of the capital city the same meaning for table tennis is to Chinese. However, the bright yellow jersey shirts the players of one team wear attract my attention.

Every shirt has Korean characters on it, as I don’t read Korean, I can’t tell what each word means. From what I observed, it seems the team and each player’s name. Out of curiosity, I approached one player wearing the jersey and asked him. He looked at me, stretched out his arms and shrugged, “I don’t know”.

It is not the first time I spotted Korean presence in this Africa country, every week day night around 9pm, there is a popular Korean soap show showing on the local TV stations. There are total three free TV stations for everyone who can afford a TV to view without a cable, so the chance of people seeing the Korean show is fairly high.

Then you got Korean electronics makers such as LG or Samsung who establish their showrooms prominently in the main drag of the city, home appliance such as flat large screen TV sets and new mobile phones are promoted as better life.

Back to Soccer, in Asia, both Koreas are qualified for the finals next year in South Africa. Will there be any softpower showing from North Korea as well? At least they got a embassy here.