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Oil Promises - Ghana’s Dreams of Black Gold

November 10, 2020

When oil was discovered in Ghana in 2007, the country began to dream big. It dreamed that the ‘black gold’ would bring economic upswing and long-awaited prosperity to its nation.

https://p.dw.com/p/3l6kn
Doku KW49 | Oil Promises Ghanas
Image: Berlin Producers

But what happens when dreams and globalization meet?

The global economy continues to rely on oil — but the so-called ‘black gold’ is becoming scarce. If a country has oil, so we tend to believe, it has all it needs to become a wealthy country. When oil was discovered in Ghana in 2007, Ghanaians also believed that economic prosperity would soon sweep over their country. By 2010, drilling had started. Ghana was determined to do better than Nigeria, a country that exports oil, but has to import gasoline.

Ghana Tamale Nordghana Welsfarm
Image: DW/M. Suuk

This documentary, shot over a period of ten years, is a case study of globalization. Filmed in a coastal region where people lived off fishing and rubber cultivation for decades, it shows the impact the oil discovery has had on their lives. Would the promises come true? Would the ‘black gold’ bring modern life and progress, paved streets, electricity and jobs even to small villages? Filmmaker Elke Sasse spent ten years documenting the developments on Ghana’s western coast. Nigerian animator Ebele Okoye adds her personal perspective through art, as a citizen of a nation hit by the oil curse.

Doku KW49 | Oil Promises Ghanas
Image: Berlin Producers

This two part documentary is a study in how the discovery of oil has affected a hitherto quiet coastal society; one that has long lived from fishing and agriculture, in particular the production of rubber. What changed? Did oil prove to be a blessing or a curse? Filmmaker Elke Sasse has spent ten years documenting the lives of people from one small village. Nigerian artist Ebele Okoye, who created the animations for the documentary, also comments upon the developments from her own perspective.

Broadcasting Hours: 

Part 1: 

DW English

FRI 04.12.2020 – 01:15 UTC
FRI 04.12.2020 – 05:15 UTC
SAT 05.12.2020 – 15:15 UTC
SUN 06.12.2020 – 19:15 UTC
MON 07.12.2020 – 09:15 UTC

Cape Town UTC +2 | Delhi UTC +5,5 | Hong Kong UTC +8
Lagos UTC +1 | Cape Town UTC +2 | Nairobi UTC +3 
San Francisco UTC -8 | Edmonton UTC -7 | New York UTC -5
London UTC +0 | Berlin UTC +1 | Moscow UTC +3

DW Deutsch+

MON 07.12.2020 – 09:15 UTC

Vancouver UTC -8 | New York UTC -5 | Sao Paulo UTC -3


Part 2: 

DW English

FRI 11.12.2020 – 01:15 UTC
FRI 11.12.2020 – 05:15 UTC
SAT 12.12.2020 – 15:15 UTC
SUN 13.12.2020 – 19:15 UTC
MON 14.12.2020 – 09:15 UTC

Cape Town UTC +2 | Delhi UTC +5,5 | Hong Kong UTC +8
Lagos UTC +1 | Cape Town UTC +2 | Nairobi UTC +3 
San Francisco UTC -8 | Edmonton UTC -7 | New York UTC -5
London UTC +0 | Berlin UTC +1 | Moscow UTC +3

DW Deutsch+

MON 14.12.2020 – 09:15 UTC

Vancouver UTC -8 | New York UTC -5 | Sao Paulo UTC -3