A brief interlude on Ghana

There's much more to say about Ethiopia, but I just wanted to interrupt myself with two quick items from Ghana.

First of all, excerpts from a story in Saturday's edition of The Mirror newspaper:

Headline: Severe harmattan usual in the South

The severe harmattan currently being experienced over the country is a natural phenomenon in the south but unusual in the north, the Ghana Meteorological Agency (GMA) has said.

The Deputy Meteorological Officer in charge of the Kotoka International Airport, Mr. Amos Narh, told the Mirror that the harmattan attained severity in January every year and that there was nothing strange about the dry winds and harsh cold being experienced in the southern part of the country.

[Mr. Narh] urged members of the public to protect themselves with warm clothes, since exposure to the cold could lead to ailments. He placed emphasis on the need to protect children in particular from the cold.

The "harmattan" is a dusty wind that blows south from the Sahara during the dry season. A short one seems to trap the heat, but a sustained one -- like we've been experiencing since we got back -- blocks out the sun and creates cooler and much less humid weather conditions.

Indeed, we have noticed that it's very hazy over Accra. And the weather is certainly much cooler than we're used to here.

But when I say "much cooler," I should say I mean it's about 28 degrees, instead of the usual 34! And the humidity is about 75 percent, instead of 90. I find it's a much more comfortable heat, where you don't have to mop the sweat off your face 35 times an hour and fight for space in front of a fan.

Jason and I both laughed looooong and haaaard at the idea of "protecting oneself with warm clothing." Previously the idea of putting on, say, long pants or socks was inconceivable! Now it's not even that they're remotely necessary, just bearable.

I guess we haven't gotten TOO used to the heat here -- we're still Winnipeggers at heart!

Oh, and one more thing. I've been trying to record my favourite public service announcement on my cellphone and post it on YouTube, but the quality was horrible. But just the other day I noticed someone else must love it as much as I do, and they've done the work for me!

The ad urges Ghanaians to sign up for a new national identity card. Here it is:



(Can't see the video in our blog? Try seeing it online here.)

In case you're having trouble making out what they're doing, there's a choir of Ghanaians in traditional dress, standing in front of a map of Ghana, musically extolling the virtues of the identity-card system with this rousing chorus:

Our nation calls for duty now,
All for one and one for all!
The time is now or never, friends!
We are called to get involved!

Tell me that's not quality television.