ガーナ：電気は付いたりつかなかったりdumsor

　ガーナでは現在、結構な電力不足。そのため停電したりしなかったり―あと三週間はダメっぽいぞ、というお話。

「Ghanaians have endured years of regular power shortages and they even have their own nickname - "dumsor" - which means "on and off" in the Akan language.」

BBC Ghana braces for three weeks of power cuts　3 hours ago
By Natasha Booty, Thomas Naadi & Wycliffe Muia

　ナイジェリアの企業からガスが届かないんですよ！というのだが―

「Power cuts are expected to last at least another three weeks in parts of Ghana because of a shortage of supplies from Nigeria.

A statement from the state power firm said a temporary shutdown for maintenance works at an unnamed Nigerian gas supplier was to blame.」

「Ghanaians have endured years of regular power shortages and they even have their own nickname - "dumsor" - which means "on and off" in the Akan language.

Power demand has steadily increased over the past two decades, partly due to rapid urbanisation and population growth.」

　―ここ二年間ほど、そんな不安定な電力事情にあった理由は急速な都市化と人口増加。そりゃあ使用電気料も増えようというものだが、じゃあなんで燃料がないかって、
　…お金の問題が。

「A growing debt may be behind the power shortages that started early this year.

The state power company - the Electricity Company of Ghana - owes about $1.2bn to private energy producers, which also include Nigerian suppliers.」

　かなーり借金がかさんでいるようで、そりゃあなかなか売る側も渋るわ、という…。カネださんならモノもださんぞこら、というお言葉も投げかけられている様子。

「Last July, private suppliers threatened to shut down operations over the arrears.」

「Ghana, one of the world's biggest producers of both gold and cocoa, has in the last few years become heavily reliant on gas as a major source of energy for electricity generation.」

　ガーナはココアと黄金とで、まあまあなんとか国家を運営していけそうなのではある。とはいえこの通り、それらを電気に変えようとすると、とりわけここ最近の物価高の中では―。