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Life without lights in a Ghanaian village
The village of Wantugu, Ghana, has power poles but no electricity – yet. They keep the dark from encroaching with kerosene lamps, flashlights, and a little solar power.
from the October 4, 2007 edition
Page 2 of 3
Like many others in the village, he believes that dancing at night provides the energy to farm the next day.
The task of supplying electricity to the village began under the government of the National Democratic Congress just before the 2000 national elections. But when the rival New Patriotic Party took control of Ghana's government that year, the work came to a standstill.
"Both political parties leave it until election year, and then they use it for campaigning, so people will see the work and vote for them," says Assemblyman Adam Yakubu, Wantugu's representative in local government.
In the years since the project was initiated, 30 low-tension poles have been added, "but 120 are needed for the whole community to have electricity," Mr. Yakubu says. "The cost is high, and that has left it standing."
Many villagers recognize that electricity is a prerequisite for other developments. Mr. Mohamed predicts that it will be a help to businesses and farmers. He cites refrigerators, fans, heaters, electric irons, and the various machines used to grind grains, sharpen tools, and build furniture and houses, as tools that many in Wantugu would start to use.
But electricity's largest benefit is light, he says. "Education is our main problem. In the daytime, we cannot read; we'll be at school and then in the farm. At night, we could use the time for studying, so that what we learn in the daytime we can review in the night."
Despite the lack of electric lights, a few dedicated students gather nightly around kerosene lamps in the school building or in one of their homes. "But sometimes you want to read and won't have the money for kerosene," Mohamed says.
He admits that people would face the same problem if they had to pay electric bills.
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