Travelling journal Ghana February 2026 5/6

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 13: February 21, Saturday – Return Trip to Accra

This time I sleep like a log. Exhaustion really got the better of me yesterday. After breakfast, we plan to head straight to Accra. But even here, I experience Africa at its finest. It takes until we’ve paid the bill and gathered our team—just past 10:00 a.m.—before we can finally set off.

We struggle to make our way out of Kumasi. Nana stops at a gas station again to top off the oil and check the tire pressure. It all takes time, and we don’t leave the gas station until around 11:00 a.m.

Traffic isn’t exactly light on a Saturday either. Nana also indulges, as so often, in wild races and, at times, even wilder passing maneuvers. Still, we make only slow progress. We don’t stop in Linda Dor this time. I just have Nana get some snacks. Fish pie, spring rolls, and some sugary-sweet lemonade.

Using the restroom costs 2 GHS. There’s a separate ticket counter with a cashier for this. Separate restrooms for women and men. Everything is spotless, despite the huge rush.

The drive to Accra takes until just after 4:00 p.m. Every now and then, the engine starts to overheat again. Nana realizes he has to slow down, and we’re relieved when the road starts going downhill again through the hilly landscape.

Poverty still exists even in big cities

In the evening, we only manage to make it to the Honeysuckle, a sports bar modeled after a British pub (the attentive reader will recall the bar from earlier that day…). Saturday night is still in full swing in East Legon. For the first time in a long while, we’re repeatedly approached by young people begging. An unusual sight for East Legon.

Day 14: February 22, Sunday – Accra

Sunday. I don’t manage to get out of bed until around 8:40 a.m. It was so hot in Accra last night that I had to turn on the air conditioner. Then, this morning, a surprise: the water pressure was completely gone. Taking a shower was out of the question. Instead, I gave myself a quick wash with a wet towel.

Breakfast at “The Good Baker.” It’s always busy, and as always, the quality is very good. After I get back, I have to spend a few more hours catching up on emails and items on my to-do list.

Successful Campaign

Our campaign, as well as the conversion of FunderNation loans into profit-sharing rights, has been well received.

In the evening, it’s time to pack for Tamale again. Tomorrow at 4:45 a.m., I’ll head to the airport, and then catch the 6:00 a.m. domestic flight to Tamale. Dinner at an African restaurant I haven’t been to before. The meal—beef sauce with vegetables and fried rice—is excellent. This won’t be my last visit here.

Day 15: February 23, Monday – Flight to Tamale

I get up at 4:00 a.m. I check WhatsApp. First shock. Nana writes that he can’t come with us. He was actually supposed to pick us up at 4:45 a.m. Now he’s sending a driver he knows, who’s supposed to be there at 5:00 a.m. Our flight leaves at 6:00 a.m.—boarding and gate closing are at 5:20 a.m. Frantic phone calls. I can’t reach Nana. At 5:00 a.m., there’s still no driver. Robert, our engineer, is already at the airport. Shortly after 5:00 a.m., Maxwell, Nana’s driver, shows up. Will this still work out? At 5:16 a.m., we arrive at the airport. With some effort, we manage to check in. Robert has to check in oversized luggage. That takes a while. We make it through security around 5:40 a.m.—a record-breaking time. At the very last minute, we board the “Passion Air” flight to Tamale.

From Tamale to the World

After a 70-minute flight, we arrive in Tamale, the fastest-growing city in West Africa. Tamale has a new “international airport.” Still, you have to walk from the plane to the terminal. Despite the new airport, it has a distinctly African feel.

Jonathan, our sales representative, picks us up in a rental car. Since there are only four of us, we have plenty of room in the car.

In the savanna…

First, we have breakfast at “Wooden”—an Indian-Lebanese restaurant. A garden omelet and coffee. We’re the only guests. Tamale is completely different from all the other cities in Ghana. It’s more of a savanna town. It was still pleasantly cool in the morning. But then it quickly got hot. The temperature peaked at 38 degrees. Now, as I’m writing this at 9 p.m., it’s still 32 degrees Celsius.

… the end of USAID is making itself felt

Our first stop takes us to the Regal Hotel. The Regal Hotel was the first solar power plant we built in 2021/2022. The owner, Mr. Eghala, is now 83 years old. However, he has a good hotel manager and has largely handed over the business to his daughter. After the crisis in 2025, 2026 is off to a good start. We hear a similar story at the Radach Convention Center. The hotel is fully booked for the next two months with conferences and hotel rooms. Radach has 70 hotel rooms.

USAID’s withdrawal caused serious disruptions in occupancy rates. Almost all NGOs that are also clients of the Regal Hotel are dependent on USAID funding. Last year, the Radach Hotel’s radio station also burned down. However, it is currently being restored. We had some trouble with cable thefts. A security plan has now been developed that includes video surveillance and other security measures.

A Union with Its Own Hostel

A visit to GNAT, the Ghana National Association for Teachers, a labor union. It reportedly has 280,000 members. They also operate their own hostel and offices in Tamale. Discussions about installing their own solar power system have begun. However, load testing and, above all, lengthy price negotiations are on the agenda.

Ramadan in Tamale

Next, we visited Zablikani Ltd. The company is now called Zibabu. The two partners (brothers) have gone their separate ways. Since we’d skipped lunch, we treated ourselves to dinner at SWAT, an African restaurant. Around 6:30 p.m., more guests arrived. Surprisingly, they were all white. Although the restaurant is relatively inexpensive, it apparently isn’t a place for Ghanaians to go during the week. However, Ramadan also began last Thursday. Unlike most other Ghanaian cities, Tamale has a predominantly Muslim population.

Around 8:00 p.m., we arrived back at Aisha Homes, where we’re staying tonight.