Could you answer a question for me? When I went to Ghana, I noticed it had far more volunteers (especially from the US) than any other country I've ever been to. Do you know why this is?
It's considered the most stable country in Western Africa and one of the most stable in all of Africa. Simply put, it's safe.
Thanks.
Also a likely factor: Ghana's official language is English.
Although most nationals can speak 2-3 languages very well, owing to the many local dialects. English may be the language of business but the outlying villages often speak different languages. In general though, yes I think it tends to be a more stable country than some in Africa. There is even an American-style burger joint in Accra.
I did an internship in Lagos, Nigeria and during this time a lot of folks from Ghana came to work there. They were the most friendly, open-minded and welcoming people I met during this time. Now that Nigeria is no longer a safe place to be, a lot of expats (mostly working for oil and construction companies) moved their families to Ghana . I doesn't matter from where they fly out to the oil rigs.
They have a tremendous peace corps presence due to governmental stability. There aren't many places that are both poor and safe for Americans.
While I understand the point of your comment, there are plenty of places that are poor and safe for Americans. Like most of the world.