The sun’s in the West
| 14:00 UK time, Thursday, 17 May 2007
I don’t have great deal of first-hand experience in Ghana that I can tell you about. We only arrived late-ish last night, and this small computer room has been my first port of call today. I doubt you’re interested in what kind of printer they’ve got here.
There is one big difference between Nigeria and Ghana. It’s just as hot, but I can see blue sky and the sun, something which never broke through the vast grey blanket of cloud in Abuja. Also, there don’t appear to be any lizards around the hotel which is a major disappointment.
(I spent 30 minutes yesterday lying on the hotel’s walkways trying to get some close-up photos of the lizards, while staff and guests cast bemused glances in my direction. The fruits of my labour will be on the blog once I’ve located a lead of Richard’s.)
FOLLOW UP TO TUESDAY’S SHOW
On Tuesday’s show, you choose three main areas of discussion. Whether Nigeria does enough to help solve Africa’s problems, what is happening in the Niger Delta, and whether Chinese investment in Nigeria is welcome. The next day’s news showed perfectly why the ´óÏó´«Ã½ decided to create WHYS and put the editorial process in your hands.
On Wednesday morning Nigeria’s vice-president Jonathan Goodluck had his by militants in the Delta. I’m also just reading in the Ghanaian Times that Ogoni youths in the Niger Delta have attacked an oil facility.
Meanwhile in Somalia, four African Union peace-keepers . They were Ugandans. No other African countries have sent troops yet. Nigeria has promised 850 soldiers but they’ve not arrived (due to a lack of political will, funding from the West or unacceptably dangerous conditions depending on who you ask).
In Shanghai, the Chinese premier Wen Jiabao has been rejecting accusations that China’s only interest in Africa is because of the continent’s natural resources. ‘We are truly sincere in helping Africa speed up economic and social development,’ is the quote. That commitment has meant a quadrupling of trade with Africa over the last six years.
These are three subjects which I am sure we are going to return to. In fact Kind Alfred Piete Spiff who joined us on Tuesday invited all of us to come and stay at this house in the Niger Delta (well he asked Vicki but we’re treating it as a general request thanks very much). Now that would be a venue for a show.
TOMORROW’S SHOW
Richard assures us almost everything is sorted for tomorrow. We’ve a lot of students coming along (rumours of the audience hitting three figures are swirling around Accra), and hopefully a politician or two to answer the frustrations we know they have with how young people are being supported here.
It’s worth re-iterating that with all of these African shows you are welcome to ask any question you want of our audience. Some of the moments I’ve found most interesting have been those about day-to-day life.
I think it’s fair to say that most of us don’t get the chance to speak to a room full of young Ghanaian too often, so please make the most of it!
