The Ashanti Region of Ghana is by far one of the most beautiful areas of the world I have ever seen. The mountains, the Volta River, the flora and fauna, and the people will forever remain in my memory.
When we were visiting with a chief in the area, we learned that there were some legal issues surrounding the construction of the Volta Dam. Apparently thousands of Ghanaians were displaced due to the construction, and there are a variety of issues with compensating the true landowners. It was interesting to learn about this from a chief and to experience the emotion he felt about it.
I am from a town called Klein in North Houston, and in my German American culture a big part of your legacy is the land you own. Hearing this chief discuss compulsory acquisition in Ghana and how his people have been moved around sparked a connection to my family land, all the way across the world.
This was the type of experience I was hoping for when I signed up for this trip.
It does not matter what country you are from, land issues are present everywhere.
The most valuable thing I learned from this trip and the experience with the chief, besides the fact that Ghanaian chiefs can handle a lot of whiskey, is that the wrong thought process is thinking “my country is better at this.” What is really important is thinking, “We all care about the land we own, no matter where we are from. Let’s help each other out.”