How I wish that people would respond this way, but I know it is not going to happen. Despite all the frustrations of constant power outages, everyone just grumbles, and gets on with life. Those who have the money use their generators - and they are noisy, especially if one is not a good sleeper, and the thing is less than 20 metres away from one's bedroom.
The rest resort to rechargeable lamps (but most don't last all night) or kerosene lanterns (the quality seems to have definitely gone done since I came to Ghana) or candles. Each has its own issues. With a rechargeable lamp, you do need electricity, unless it's solar, in which case you need the sun, and to bring it in before dusk or before it rains. Yes, I have forgotten my solar lantern until after dark, and yes, it has been drenched during a tropical rain.
Charging the rechargeable lanterns does take about 12 hours, so even if you take to work, it probably won't fully charge. Ditto using a cigarette lighter in the car - which I did last week in desperation. Solution: we now have five rechargeable lanterns, plus one solar. And for the rest, it is the kerosene lanterns, candles and flashlights/torches.
Buying kerosene isn't straightforward either - or maybe it is just that I find it quite difficult to get a hold of, involving visits to several fuel stations, and wasting lots of fuel in the process. Sigh...
Not surprising electricity supply is on my mind as last week we had no power for almost 72 hours - including three nights. And yesterday the lights were off for more than 12 hours - again by the time I came home, and for me it makes evenings tense, rather than relaxing and a time to wind down. I can't read for long, and at a certain stage there is nothing else to do but wash, go to bed, listen to the radio and go to sleep. Not my idea of a particular productive time! I was NOT a happy bunny
Yet no one seems to publicly mind. I guess that is why I would like to see a handwritten or handpainted sign that says "no electricity, no vote?"
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