A Road Trip Around Ghana

This is beautiful and peaceful,
but it is NOT a typical view of Ghanaian highways!

In August our work took us on a 300 mile road trip in Ghana. There is a triangle of major highways that connect the population centers. We drove west from Accra to Cape Coast/Takoradi (almost), then north to Kumasi where we spent the night. After training the next day, we headed east on the Accra-Kumasi Highway which bends south to reach Accra. Two back-to-back days of significant travel in Ghana is an adventure. Sister Markham asked our children to pray for our safety for this trip. Jeff responded that he would like to see a few pictures of the roads and traffic to get a better vision of what we frequently mention. Sister Markham charged her camera and emptied the memory card to provide Jeff a show from the passenger seat. Unfortunately, the weather was overcast and rainy which adversely affects pictures taken out the windows of a moving car. Undaunted, Sister Markham documented in photos this road trip through Ghana.

Personal cars and passenger mini-buses (tro-tros) share the highways with large trucks that haul the nation's freight.	Railroads are not functional, so trucks carry all the nation's load. Route choices are limited, so we share with the truck fleet.

Overload seems to be the norm for most trucks. Along the highways, trucks stop to load freight produced in the villages.	This usually means charcoal, used for cooking in the cities, and agricultural products, mainly fruits and cocoa pods.

Maneuvering large trucks on narrow roads, often without shoulders...	...as well as manual loading and unloading, complicate traffic flow.

Overloaded, old trucks often move slowly,...	...especially uphill.

But even worse, they break down.	Repairs are made on site.

This consumes lane width...	...creating dangerous bottlenecks.

There are two unorthodox moves used by drivers to get around trucks.	First, the blind pass when nearing the tops of hills.

Second, the gang pass, using unsuspecting vehicles as blockers.	These create thrills for oncoming traffic!

The good news is: there are major upgrades in progress on Ghana's roads.	The bad news is: most work takes in live lanes on busy highways.

Again, traffic flow suffers...	...and aggressive drivers create unauthorized detours.

It is distracting to see what happened to buildings in the way of progress.	On the under-maintained existing roads, drivers change lanes to dodge potholes.

Every few miles, there is another village.	Many are major bottlenecks.

Roadside markets abound along the highways. Some are 'strip malls.'	Others are specialty shops like this one selling fufu-pounding equipment.

Slowing to look or stopping to buy...	...affects the other traffic.

The ubiquitous pedestrians...	...going about their normal business.

Many are conducting business.	Their customers are the travelers.

It is in their interest to slow down...	...or even stop the traffic.

Others are fetching water, or going to...	...do laundry at the nearest water source.

When the road narrows, pedestrians still take their share.	The above factors result in many wrecks, which are seen along the highways.

Some add to the traffic problems.	This truck jack-knived in front of us.

Others act as safety reminders.	Would you blind pass after seeing this?

After a day on Ghanaian Highways, comfort food is in order.


Kelewele does the trick for Sister Markham.
Fresh plantain, rolled in spices and deep fried in palm oil.

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