Travelling journal Ghana February 2026 4/6

EWIA CEO Ralph Schneider is currently traveling in Ghana with his colleague Jonathan Baumann. Read on to find out what their day is like, who they’re meeting, where, when, and why.

Day 11: February 19, Thursday – Trip to Kumasi

This is Africa, Part Two. We plan to leave for Kumasi, the capital of the Ashanti Region, as early as 8:00 a.m. today. That’s why we asked our housekeeper, Naomi, to please have breakfast ready by 7:30 a.m. Naomi is actually there very early. But when we want to have breakfast at 7:30 a.m., she apparently sees that as the signal to start preparing it. Consequently, the eggs, toast, etc., don’t make it to the table until just before 8:00 a.m. However, this isn’t a big deal, since our Ghana managing director, Nana, sends me a message around 8:10 a.m.: “I am on my way.” At least we can then set off around 8:50 a.m. Very punctual by African standards.

Coffee, anyone?

The drive to Kumasi is a long one. The trip is usually listed as taking 4–5 hours, but realistically, it can’t be done in less than 6–6.5 hours. Traditionally, people stop for a break at Linda Dor, a large rest stop along the highway. Instead of buying snacks, we wanted to grab a quick bite at the restaurant. The waitstaff apparently couldn’t handle the rush of four customers. It took a long discussion just to get some cornflakes, a little bread, and an egg. They tried to brush off my request for coffee several times. The waiter looked sharp and, with his round glasses, quite intellectual. Still, I wasn’t sure if he really understood us or what he had actually written down. I gave up hope of getting coffee. After 45 minutes, however, the young man approached me and told me that the coffee machine was on the other side of the room and that I just had to press a button to get it. He asked if I would like to accompany him.

A Quick Stop at Christian Service University

The road is still in terrible condition. We keep encountering sections where we can barely move at a walking pace. It isn’t until 4:10 p.m. that we reach Kumasi and arrive at our client’s location, Christian Service University (CSU). This is followed by an approximately one-hour meeting with the Vice Chancellor and two of his staff members. As always, the goal is to try once again to renegotiate certain points of the contract. Despite differing views, we manage to end on a positive note.

A Modern Hotel with Its Quirks

Around 6:00 p.m., we arrive at our hotel, Condas de la Chichi. It’s a fairly modern hotel, both inside and out. It’s run by an Indian man. Our four rooms are spread across four different buildings. As usual, there are the usual challenges. There are no controls for the air conditioning. The TV is as big as a movie screen, but unfortunately only has a weak internet connection. The doors to the bathroom, etc., won’t close properly because they’re warped. The faucet is constantly dripping. Nevertheless, the room feels quite modern.

We have dinner at the hotel on the third floor. After several attempts to order drinks fail, I opt for a beer.

Day 12: February 20, Friday – Kumasi

Kumasi is sweltering. At times, temperatures reach over 36 degrees. Sleeping without air conditioning is impossible. The night was only moderately restful. I wake up at four in the morning. It’s loud; some machines are constantly making noise. Around 8:30 a.m., I meet Jonathan for breakfast. Before that, I had the obligatory board call with Timo and Wolf.

No coffee again

When I try to order breakfast at the restaurant, I’m met with wide-eyed stares at the word “breakfast.” When I ask for coffee to go with it, I get the regretful reply that there’s no coffee. All right, then black tea. No, they don’t have that either. They only have MILO. But she doesn’t understand that I don’t know what MILO is (it’s an extremely popular, nutrient-enriched chocolate malt drink). Compared to Accra, Kumasi is still a few years behind. Barely half an hour later, our breakfast is served.

Upgrade at A1 Hospital

We arrive at A1 Hospital at 10:00 a.m. We meet with the technician. The system, which features a Fuhrländer all-in-one machine, has been a cause for concern from the very beginning. Now the control unit is to be replaced. We also plan to double the system’s capacity to 60 kWp. The customer is not satisfied with the system’s performance to date. There have already been several attempts to optimize the system. So far, all have been unsuccessful. It is cold comfort to blame the EPC for this. Our priority is a satisfied customer.

Tension

After that, we head back to Christian Science University. Robert urgently needs to replace the circuit breakers, which goes relatively smoothly. Still, at times I’m absolutely terrified. Although the system is disconnected from the power grid and the main fuses are also disconnected, there’s still electricity in the wires. To be on the safe side, Robert checks every point himself. It turns out they simply overlooked a lever. This is Africa, after all. It’s a good thing our technicians are so careful. Installing a new Encombi IT license takes longer. This has to be done on the laptop. Because of the slow internet, it takes forever.

Ghanaian Cola Thanks to German Engineering

Around 2:00 a.m., we arrive at the Angel Beverages factory. The CEO and the commercial directors are not present. However, we manage to take an extensive tour of the production facilities with the factory manager. The beverage bottling process is entirely controlled by German-made machinery. The employees are very proud of what they accomplish. In total, up to 20,000 cases, each containing 16 bottles, are filled and packaged per day. This includes Angel Cola. In our opinion, the taste is very similar to Coca-Cola. Visually, it certainly is. The heaters are all diesel-powered; switching to electric heaters would have immense advantages.

Finally, some (really good) coffee

After that, we battle our way through the heavy traffic again. We haven’t eaten anything yet. And I desperately need a coffee. Kumasi is significantly behind Accra in terms of development. Coffee shops are nowhere to be found. So the only solution is to head to a high-end hotel. The former “Golden Tulip” is now called “Lancaster” and has a top-of-the-line espresso machine. And the barista really knows his stuff.

Around 6:00 p.m., we meet Gabrielle from AFREECA at the restaurant “La Casa.” It’s a lovely garden restaurant. While I’ve been critical of some places so far, I have to say: the service and food here are excellent. The atmosphere is also wonderful and truly African.

Be sure to follow Ralph on LinkedIn too!