By: John S. Morlu II, CPA
So I’ve landed in Ghana. Again.
The Wi-Fi greeted me with a spinning wheel. The airport fan waved slowly like an auntie in a fabric shop. And the power? Oh, the power took a quick nap to welcome me back.
After weeks of Visa-free Kenya, where Uber drivers hold master’s in computer science and M-Pesa makes coins feel prehistoric, I flew west. Past Tanzania. Past Uganda. Crossed the equator and boom — landed in Ghana.
Not just any Ghana.
Real Ghana.
The Ghana that greets you with,
“You are welcome.”
Not “Welcome” — “You are welcome.”
A whole sentence. Like a prophecy.
Even if you’re stuck in traffic. Even if you’re sweating in the airport line with no AC.
Fun Fact #1:
Ghana has more graduates per square mile than working computers.
Ask around — everybody has a degree.
Accounting, Engineering, Psychology, Sociology, Geography, Witchcraft Management (don’t ask).
But somehow, they’re all selling insurance, mixing perfumes, or opening a TikTok boutique.
Fun Fact #2:
Time in Ghana is… elastic.
Ghana runs on two official time zones:
- GMT (Greenwich Mean Time)
- GMT (Ghana Maybe Time)
A meeting at 10am means:
- You arrive at 11:30
- Your host arrives at 12:15
- The AC arrives at 2pm
- The meeting starts when someone says, “Let’s pray.”
Welcome to West Africa’s chaos.
Electricity?
Ah. Ghana runs on a “light-off roulette system.”
Will the power stay? Will it go? Will it flicker during your Zoom call? Nobody knows.
But don’t worry — every house has:
- A generator (for the rich)
- A torchlight (for the middle class)
- And hope (for the rest of us)
And when the power returns, you’ll hear it:
“Yessss! The light is back!”
Cheers erupt like Ghana won the World Cup. For electricity.
Culinary Insight:
Jollof is not food. It’s identity.
You haven’t lived until you’ve seen two aunties almost fight over who makes better jollof — Ghana or Nigeria.
Spoiler alert: It’s Ghana. Because the rice is cooked, not boiled like it’s in punishment.
Daily Life? Let’s Talk Chaos.
- Traffic lights are optional.
- Traffic officers? Sometimes directing. Sometimes scrolling TikTok.
- Trotros? Minibuses packed tighter than a church offering bowl.
- Street hawkers? If you ever wanted to buy a mirror, eggs, plantain chips, and a new Bible while in traffic — Ghana’s your place.
And yes, you’ll get asked:
“Boss, you go buy?”
If you say no:
“Why? You no get money?”
Say yes?
“This one na special price for you. I dey like your face.”
Tech & Hustle
Ghana may not have M-Pesa, but MTN Mobile Money is king.
You can pay your tithe, buy airtime, get scammed, and borrow lunch money — all from your phone.
And WhatsApp is more than an app — it’s the government’s unofficial communication tool.
“Send me on WhatsApp.”
“Check your WhatsApp.”
“Let me forward it to you on WhatsApp.”
If WhatsApp crashes, the whole country calls in sick.
Education vs Reality
Ghana’s slogan should be:
“Educated and underemployed since independence.”
Everyone’s CV is amazing.
- First Class.
- University of Legon.
- Short course in Dubai.
- Leadership certificate from YouTube.
But ask what they do:
“Small business.”
Which is code for:
“Hustling with prayer.”
🇬🇭 Why I Keep Coming Back
Ghana is not for the faint-hearted.
You must have grit. And generator fuel.
But Ghana teaches you patience. Humor. Street smarts. And how to survive dumsor (electricity blackouts) without losing your mind.
It’s a land of:
- High literacy,
- Low urgency,
- Deep respect,
- And even deeper suspicion of anything that moves fast.
If Kenya is racing, Ghana is walking. With style. And swagger.
And me? I’ve been building in Ghana for 12 years.
Failed, tried again. Laughed. Cried. Ate fufu. Gained weight. Lost weight. Rebooted the dream.
It’s slow. It’s chaotic. It’s beautiful.
And that, my friends, is Ghana.
Final Satirical Wisdom:
- In Kenya, Wi-Fi is life.
- In Ghana, Wi-Fi is luck.
- In Kenya, your Uber driver codes at night.
- In Ghana, your Uber driver says, “Boss, can I pray for you before the ride?”
But make no mistake:
Ghana is not behind.
It’s just playing its own game — slow motion mode with unlimited retries.
Author: John S. Morlu II, CPA is the CEO and Chief Strategist of JS Morlu, leads a globally recognized public accounting and management consultancy firm. Under his visionary leadership, JS Morlu has become a pioneer in developing cutting-edge technologies across B2B, B2C, P2P, and B2G verticals. The firm’s groundbreaking innovations include AI-powered reconciliation software (ReckSoft.com) and advanced cloud accounting solutions (FinovatePro.com), setting new industry standards for efficiency, accuracy, and technological excellence.