I have been travelling around the country politicking these past three weeks. Even though I was on a political assignment, I had my reporter’s antennae out and I am able to say that our dear country never ceases to surprise. Here is my travelogue. I say nothing new when I report that the overall feeling of travelling in Ghana is one of stress. The roads are generally in a bad state; where the bitumen cover is available; there are crudely constructed ramps that are a clear danger to anyone who is not a regular on the road. I am still not persuaded that it is a good idea to put ramps on highways that pass through towns and villages. I was minded to award the most horrible stretch of road to the one from Hohoe to Jasikan and surroundings in the Volta Region and then I went to Widana in the Upper East Region. This was my first trip to this town. The nearest I had been was Pusiga, which is near Bawku.

Once you leave Bolgatanga going towards Bawku, you are in difficulties and as you head towards Pusiga even the strong and heavy vehicles are showing signs of stress. Big signboards along the roads tell you who the Members of Parliament are for the area and they are powerful names in the government; but it is obvious their power does not include getting the road fixed.

Numerous petrol stations

Your phone is welcoming you to Burkina Faso and to Togo, and that indicates where you are on the map. There are 18 petrol stations at various stages of completion, located in about one kilometre distance as you get to the border and I wonder what on earth for. Widana would have been a pretty little town but the road is in such a terrible state, you are grateful to make it out of the place in one piece. I meet a young man who says he reads me regularly on myjoyonline! Really? Modern communications are certainly confusing. Here I am thinking I write for the Daily Graphic and there is someone who reads the articles on another site. I have been on the famous Sawla to Fufulso road which was commissioned by the President in August. It is such a relief that road has finally been done, thanks to financing from the African Development Bank. The markets and lorry parks and health centres and other structures that have been built as part of the road, all look spick and span and forlorn and deserted. One hopes they will be used.

The three northern regions looked very green and were very wet. The maize farms were flourishing and all the water systems looked full. One night in Wa, the rain fell so hard and for so long I expected the dams to fill up down south. The Western Region, where it usually rains nonstop, was unexpectedly dry. The farmers were not happy and I was certainly not used to brown leaves and plants at this time of year in the Western Region. There was one unintended consequence; road contractors in the region have a bonus and are working on roads at a time that they normally would have had to give up because of the rains. The Kwahu areas continue to charm me. Once upon a time I had an idea of organising excursions from different parts of the country to visit the towns on the Kwahu ridge, especially my favourite two, Abetifi and Pepease. The rest of the country ought to see what Kwahu enterprise does. The houses are beautiful and there are grander ones being built all the time to add to an already impressive housing stock.

Courtesy calls

I wish someone would find a way we could shorten the ceremony involved in paying courtesy calls on traditional leaders. The greeting process is laborious and tedious; all around the country. Do we really have to go through the long sequence of handshaking, offering of water, people sipping a bit and leaving the rest of the water in the plastic bottles? And why is it a matter of pride to say, even though you already know what has brought the visitor, you must still ask? I never quite understand why our ancestors insist on Schnapps as the drink of choice for the pouring of libation? You can never make a stop at a chief’s palace unless you have a minimum of 45 minutes.

State of hotels

Many of the hotels around the country are in need of refurbishment. I recommend packing well before you embark on travels around the country. I carry my own bedsheets and towels because the sheets and towels in some of the rooms look suspiciously like they have welcomed other people before I was given the room. Every meeting starts with a prayer and every prayer starts with singing a song. I wonder why. People spoke openly and clearly and they wanted you to know things were hard.

UCC students

The most enchanting encounter on these travels came with students of the Law Faculty of the University of Cape Coast (UCC). It had been my lot as a Minister of State to deal with students and especially, student leaders for six years. I usually came out of most meetings worried for the future of Ghana. The students from UCC I met on this trip were a refreshing change. They were well organised, they were articulate, they sounded well-read, they wanted to learn and they were enthusiastic. They gave me the distinct impression Ghana would be safe in their hands. They made the bad roads, the dodgy hotel rooms, the interminably long prayers, the villages that seemed like time had passed them by; those young students in one night made it all almost worthwhile. The politics was good and exciting.