sure that are not going to be here. the biggest hope is that the virus will be defeated and fans can come back safely now that would be a homerun for everybody. and that's the latest news i'll be back again at the top of the hour with another update for you and marion evans team from me and everyone in berlin thanks for watching. forecasters from nigeria you know that's what nollywood stands for their unique. authentic. successful beyond belief. that. 7 we would start august 7th d.w. .

on west africa's atlantic coast the former british colony of ghana became infamous for its involvement in the transatlantic slave trade and also for its abundant reserves of gold which is why the english called it the gold coast. the country is rich in role materials such as oil which was recently discovered in the region and above all coca. ghana is the world's 2nd biggest producer of coca pot despite the plentiful resources they rarely benefit got nations themselves. results fullness has become a necessity for some people white gold has replaced yellow they're not aiming to get rich the many trying to survive. donna means warrior king a fitting name that reflects the strength and resilience of its people. who want to

buy a whole. they face a new battle every day. at dawn on lake volta the launches started fishel reservoir in the wild want to tax is put on to the banks. 3 times a week a transport isolated villages to the big markets in the town of tom. this particular county seems to sense the getting on the boat isn't going to be an easy topps. like and i'm going to sell my car at the market actually on my way to get there are risky for the car but i've got no choice.

but. let. the town would have on down to the appreciated a ram but a ride in the fresh air is bound to calm me down. to the next bit of the boats may be primitive but they are vital for the region's economy without the famous would be trapped on that islands. last. night. moron. i doubt. that i give the man my basket so he can bring it to me to

lighten. it up. but of that love life. and. a lot of everyone gets on to such boats any way they can and they have no choice the fare is a too big to dock at the small patches of land although few of the passengers know how to swim i mainly use the life jackets as power songs. but everything's fine the lake is like a mill pond. where only watching the boats dropped josephs the captain gets as much onto it as he can. i don't think i don't know actually how many people and animals there are my counted for cows and for sheeps.

off what are the maximum is about 1015 comes in the maximum number of people i would say is 5250. but it's very dangerous. if we're unlucky and a storm hits one more in the middle of the lake. that's really dangerous because. i. offer a 2 hour journey the water taxi arrives at top a market for the animals getting also a boat is a much more pleasant experience in getting off. the. last of. the passengers or badly off the boat when it heads back out to cross the lake.

at the top market the center of spicer's mingles with the aroma of freshly fried fridges. that. still it's hard to ignore the smell of petrol and fish. and at this point perri of sense one in particular is missing the center rived from a fruit found at every market stall the cocoa fruit at santa doesn't dom fold until it has been processed. ghana is the world's 2nd biggest producer of coca hundreds of trucks transported across the country before it's exported all over the while.

but most locals like biko have never tasted it. all good point is blue dog because obama it's. all for example if you come at a black cat google farm easier. to. know what you're going to see some of the dublin involved. some of the obama. that you're juggling the ball didn't test if you mean will be involved. in. the eco shuttles between dozens or warehouses

along the road he wants for the state which buys for most all of the calcutta produced by the region's farmers. who. are going to kill is the reason i bought. 65 percent of that is the but this. was. cocoa sales represent percent of ghana's gross domestic product but the locals rarely see any of the prop. fits and that day to day lives. i'm well i think.

it was i. the roads leading to the warehouse is a rundown. ready to go because he said good luck in that god use very high spirits if you want to get to a dime and there would be was a. clue what these you couldn't do got done. must be look like the 2 cars fighting the car. it's officious cycle if he's late delivering the load he will lose part of his salary.

in the heart of the forest to calcutta harvesters have to get a move on. i did. well the vote of the season is coming to an end i need to gather the remaining parts the fruit that contains the cocoa beans before they rot in the trees. no machine could do the work as well as these men can but harvesting is an arduous task. they extract them from parts with machetes which i nicknamed go to hell this.

is the pride if this country. this is the i mean. i'm not the only thing you see it's the best quality. look at how many other countries produce cocoa. but it's just not as good as in ghana where you got i would i just feel close it from here the coke will go to. iraq i mean i want to they're all have to europe but i don't know what its final destination will be not this and i thought you. were like . oh. around 15 families from the cocoa trees in this small forest but in the past few years production levels have dropped.

the single crop funding of coca has sucked all the nutrients out of the soil the trees growing old and there's no money to replace them nowadays every penny counts . the farm is situated close to the border with togo geoff sells his chemical beans to whichever country based science. and to remember that that is the border with toll roads around a kilometer from there it's the worst this year though some december togo is bringing in one euro $0.37 a kilo gone i was paying one euro 16 friend but at the end of the month togo's prices have dropped to one euro. to. the bad event such as from going a little design to a motorbike all take a minute oh my god why are you putting it on a motorbike under there's no path there's no road or just tracks. there's no road

suitable for cars and you. are sure dangerous there are lots of accidents. normally the government should have built bridges but there are no bridges the so if you're not careful you'll have an accident and you don't think you're going to fall but when you do sometimes a number of factors are about them it's about the effects. you're going to get the trip to the town on these old motorbikes can be very risky broken arms or legs are common although jeff's team hasn't suffered any fatalities hands. from it and. sadly maxwell was not so lucky he died in a car accident as he was delivering bags of cocoa beans to the town. his aunt precious is bringing his body back to the village in a coffin shaped like

a coke ipod as a gesture of on a. funeral singing gonna a fan from morbid to fast death is seen last as an end as the gateway to eternal life this course of a celebration. believe in the often life it's important for families to express love and respect for the deceased to ease their journey to the other side. sometimes burials a larger fast just like the one today. that the whole village is taking part. time. the women prepare a traditional dish of corned topped with a spicy sauce. it

may seem shocking to some the body is dressed in finery and put on display before it is placed back in the coffin. was dead.

long. family firmly believes that he has simply moved on to another life in one form or another he will be more powerful than those still living so each of them comes to talk to him to win his favor. safe journey you'll be reunited with your brother. you'll be reunited with everyone you'll be welcomed with open arms. no child will you do in your next life. after all i did for you you left me. to wonder if that's true the ruling. was then everybody. today. or not they must believe. that this was

a young guy. and how people want them to. because it's your past and. present for 4 months his family paid the equivalent of $300.00 euros for the coffee and an enormous sums of people here. discount some schoolchildren give him a final sendoff. that

was an example. because the finance them before and then that would have the time i had the prime time that found. by the whole. summer. what that meant. only that hollywood. after a 2 hour long ceremony the coffin is taken to the cemetery. part

up. the pole star accompanied to maxwell's final resting place where his coffin is again welcomed with scenes of joy so he can begin his new life in happiness. i. think. it.

through the combination of the heat chanting and incense and beating of drums the burial of precious his nephew is a frenzied if. i . believe. it's the wrong way turn him this way. up the.

on the plantation away from the chaos of the burial jeff and his men head off to town to sell some of them last remaining bags of coke. the 10 men are transporting 650 kilos of cocoa beans. none of them have a driver's license in any case navigating through the bush isn't something torch and driving school.

it's a 50 kilometer long journey and all the drivers are alert they want to survive this journey. 2 hours across rough terrain take a toll on their old motorbikes. with enough. to live there's a god of some broken because the road is so bumpy. anika. jaska. america in such bad shape it broke or is it because they got there. through this if there is that's just the kind of thing we have right up with yours on the average

or as a. motorbike is back on the road they will have to put some of their profits from selling the cocoa towards the repairs the group is hoping to on around $100.00 euros which would make 10 euros per passion. they've reached the final hurdle but it's not an easy one quality control carried out by the uncompromising joseph who buys cocoa for the government he's the one who sets the prices. and the message. that. i want to inject the book did a nice of that if the guy is good if this 2nd bite if you don't look good then all is not that i have to date. today joseph appears to be very satisfied with the quality he pays japs team 200 euros 100 more than they were

hoping for. with its massive deposits of minerals and oil ghana could be very rich but its economy still relies mainly on farming and fishing. making a living in these sectors is far from easy many call on higher powers to help them get by. to get out of you with the lord we have come to our place of work this morning make your blood fall upon us and protect us. it was learned but maybe destroying karma from evil spirits from india i mean.

there are herds over there. the democrat people can start it's over there where the birds are all right now got. water i was also out of here in direct competition with other boats i'm out so we have to cast our nets before they do. that there are not a i don't want out. to him one of them has already started fishing oh they're talking their nets too hard. they're too desperate. to send off. the crew had better 200000 pounds are all competing off the conning coast as a consequence fish stocks have steadily 20 times for the years. who look to. the one who. do know who of the world who.

are. now the low level robot to go get a move on. you don't want to return home empty handed. he going to go out if you don't work you won't get paid about about. it like a manual as the quartermaster otherwise known as the head of the crew his job is to keep his men motivated. origin was as i really. never really real. love for your. lover a lot. of.

money playing looking. for. the love i never got up the young. oh no no no no no let me. not out are not. already up so we have time to recast the net once more. we had a well go. fishing one make peace man 1000000 apps have court around 100 kilos at the most mainly just small fish. the methods of some captains who use dynamite and pesticides to town quick profits have forced bigger fish to retreat to deeper waters.

dozens of women are keeping an eye on the horizon. but they're not waiting for the hospitals to return for see. their fishmongers. uniquely left home in the morning and gather here to wait for the fishermen to come back it's the only work we can do to feed ourselves it also means i can send my children to school and i knew that means that you just huge. oh. they're bound to be disappointed none of the

15 votes separate times with an impressive. battle of the fishmongers begins because there isn't enough fish to go around. i want to buy the whole basket. i want to basket for the 2 eyes that were fishermen i once and smelled so. many what surprised me is setting them for. oh. i see why i always haggle when we buy what the fishermen give us a price and we negotiate if they say 100 days or just 15 out they say 200 we said 100 that is the house. that goes. up so what is that like you're filling up let's go ahead fill it up to the brim and.

i'm going to smoke some of them and the others will be sultan dried in the sun or ice you then alice sell them at the market. you know that i'm the one. smoking and salting the fish prevents it from having to be refrigerated fishmongers can preserve it in this way for a week maybe more. that's why salt is finally important in africa ghana has enjoyed a good reputation for its salt since the 8 century. drivers who transport cocoa and those who transport. some won't chant the same treacherous routes. the same.

john is so cold white gold is in demand and sold across the african continent. ok. let's say. i want to load up 2000 bags of socks. 50 to. keep a close eye on because you know because of hers it probably something about i missing it i have to replace it the south side of the levee not. what i might. go it's a dangerous trip that sometimes robbers jump onto the truck and steal a good one if the roads bump and you have to slow down there and climb out of the truck and look at it. but george has no choice he has to

drive slowly on these poorly maintained roads. and. george is taking this delivery eastward stood beneath 200 kilometers he and his truck had been dancing to the rhythm of the potholes as he puts it. comes to my career dancing at a party because of the growth at work i was dancing at the wheel i did become i just got a 1000 to put out a little less because i got roads are so badly damaged down to where i come soon after that nothing. most coastal residents make a living from salt production. that everywhere you look at our salt even when the

women had to go down into the ground they find salty about it but that. salt is one of the raw and minerals found to an abundance it's an unlimited resource that helps people living on the coast to survive. just because there's a lot of it doesn't mean it's easy to harvest. i think. it's the men who delegate and share out the work and it's us women who have to dig for the salt. we're told on your on the men avoid doing it themselves because it's hard work and they're more now but they are not done you know work with there are you. know so it's us women who have to do it.

you know. if you can do this all with your bare hands to get covered and so we're. all go forward. and that's why mine are in such a bad state i use this tool to hope that that gets me out of the wood and nails to break down the salt crystals. that have worked collecting salt for 20 years it's a really tough job. you know one. of them oh yeah i have awful leaks and pains i have a bad back when i'm i like that but. my feet are crack down hard. on my.

father's day the train toggled they are ruthless. that they're fed up i want nice looking salts to be able to resell it i have to spread it out and examine it so i thought if it doesn't look good i won't be able to sell it for the best trust. and i can't be mixed up with any scent. or don't want to listen and mixes with the salt. no i will know. how it is funny. i said i'd sell it for $200.00 no that's too much that of how much would you pay for it i'll give me a $100.00 say to them i know no deal oh no deal oh yes. come on

please. i'm not compromising. my starters nice and white it's what but times are hard and people just on by anymore i'll take it for one today but not this. 120 isn't enough. how you know yesterday someone wanted for 150 no line i want question if you don't agree i'll go buy somewhere else ok all right i'm happy today my children and i will be able to eat we'll have fun stomachs trying. you know my she bought everything off me and i have money to count up. here's the money thank you for buying my salt may god bless you and protect you on your journey back. through. the equivalent of 21 year old us the money will last and her $2.00 children a week any animal she can catch

a supplement to their meals. this is my house it's where i live well my riches are here. adamle i make everything myself with my own hands these buckets are mine. where i can get my secrets to one side for a funeral as. we look at that. right . now she. hands are damaged from the hard work i do. is starting to look like the hands of

a liberal. and i was feeling. but your heart always tries to keep a smile on her face so she says is you can't wear down an x. by slicing bananas. in other words anything is possible with a bit of power and that's something that can names appear to have an ample supply no matter how obvious the task. is. that's. george and his assistants have now been saying in that truck. i like my job. i was a pest and. my dad taught me to drive it back on my driving since i was young.

when i was 12 i could already drive i've been the gonna look in a fossil hybrid polish molly nigerian geria. all these years of driving have taught george patience lots of it especially when it comes to crossing borders. about this that we have to go and check in. georgia to his assistant arrive in a town on the border with togo. to . evolve if you like the customs officers will check the goods and a condition that area they want to check that stuff hasn't gone off and make people

say you gave it was a yellow what if it. was a level but. george takes his place among the hundreds of other trucks waiting to be inspected some have been stuck here for weeks the customs officers walk at their own pace as drivers wait patiently. of a long it may take everything will get to where it needs to go it's going to. get the cocoa plantation jeff is also preparing to go to tokyo he's located much closer to the border and so is making the journey on foot. difficult if you will flip through a little you know. something. these are the last few bags

i'm going across the border i need some c.f.a. francs that's a currency managed in the village i want to go to. that i'm taking the last few bags to sell them this year the quality of the cocoa isn't good at will be spoiled or the rains of ruined all the cocoa that they pull so that. these cocoa beans and good enough to be sold to kanye and buys but in turn go jeff names a trader who doesn't scrutinise goods to foreign aid. and. he. said we don't get them to much of the religious an hour's walk away carrying the cocoa on our heads. this is when we arrive at the border we'll cross or don't head to the front. for the carriers it's a far from gentle stroll it got around 30 kilos on the heads.

so as i once thought if i thought of this another little terrorist marks the border that i meant i mean for us the border but i'm not gonna do a go and now we're in togo so obviously once you cross it you're in tokyo no i've made it and i just see. or oil gold and other mineral resume says could make ghana one of the world's fastest growing economies. instead it's gone am's described the country as a sick child. who has only recovered because of the tenacity of its workforce. in.

2 for him writing is an act of liberation. for a novelist it's a tremendous to him somebody is all of our. characters was something going on that's maybe obvious except that they don't notice the artist told them the irish writer an exclusive interview $21.00. 30 minutes on d w. this

is some dope story a stubborn rice farmer from thailand. is full bloom tests. his credo no chemicals his wife thought he was crazy. and. step. out. of order. doesn't stand a chance. does it. starts to lead to something.

this is d. w. news live from berlin squabbling over a new coronavirus recovery plan in the u.s. if lawmakers in washington can't agree on a federal unemployment subsidy millions of jobless americans could face financial ruin. also coming up to a worldwide spike in corona virus infections.