And a Happy New Year

Wishing all of you a very Happy New Year!!

We spent the new year period travelling north through Ghana's eastern 'Volta' region [above pics] between the Togo border and Lake Volta - the worlds largest artificial lake. 84000 people were displaced by this hydro-electricity generating project when it was started in the 1960's. At the time it was estimated enough electricity would be produced to supply southern Ghana with a surplus to sell to neighbouring Togo. Unfortunately the funders (an American company) placed such high dividends on the project that it never realised it's potential. By the time these financial restrictions were lifted, the ever reducing water level of the lake coupled with rising demand means Ghana will still need to import power from it's neighbours.

We left Ghana amid election fever. After a closely fought Presidential election, the two main parties had a run off scheduled for Dec 28th - the day we were driving through Accra. After 3 days of counting the outcome was announced: one constituency had rumours of vote rigging so they would have to re-vote as without them the balance stood at 49:50! This process could run and run........