The Country Republic of Ghana
Capital City Accra
Official Language English
Currency Ghana Cedi (GHȻ)
Nominal GDP GHȻ 241,718.0 million (June 2018)
GDP Growth Rate 6.8% (1st Qtr.2018)
Inflation 9.6% (July 2018)
Exchange Rate U.S$ 1.00 TO GhȻ 4.69 (July 2018)
Minimum Wage GhȻ 10.65 (July 2018)
Prime Rate 17% (Jan 2018)
FDI US$ 4.91 billion (Year End 2017)
Population 28,570,523 (May 2017)
Population Growth Rate 2.5%
Land Size 238,533 km (92,098 m²)
Climate Tropical, General (21°C – 30°C)
Type of Government Constitutional Democracy
Executive President, Cabinet
Legislature Unicameral, National Assembly
CREDIT : GHANA INVESTMENT PROMOTION CENTRE
WHY GHANA?
* A stable political environment within the West African sub region, with established democratic institutions and systems to ensure good governance in the country
* Abundant, adaptable and easily trainable labour force
* A competitive daily minimum wage rate of GHȻ9.68
* 100% foreign ownership of companies
* Duty-free access of classified exports to the USA (under AGOA) and European Union markets (Under the EPA)
* Excellent sea and air connections with Europe and USA
* Strategic and central location within West Africa provides access to the ECOWAS market with a population of approximately 350 million (ECOWAS)
* Improving infrastructure i.e internal road network, electricity and water supplies, internal and external communication as well as sea and airport facilities
* An existing industrial base in areas such as electronics, food, plastics, clothing and textiles, jewelry, metals and wood processing facilities
* Established stock exchange and a robust ecosystem of banks and non-bank financial institutions
* A dynamic private sector open to collaborate with foreign partners
* A committed and progressive government/private sector participation
* A high degree of personal safety
* A truly hospitable people
WHAT MAKES GHANA UNIQUE AS A NATION?
- First African Country, South of the Sahara to have obtained political freedom from the British Colonial rule.
- Produced the First African of the Last Millennium. – Dr. Kwame Nkrumah
- Produced the First Black African Secretary General of the United Nations. – Mr. Kofi Annan
- Producer of the best quality Cocoa in the world.
- Has the largest man-made lake on Earth. – The Volta Lake
- First African Nation to win a medal in Soccer (football) at the Olympic Games. (Black meteors in 1983 in Barcelona won the Bronze Medal; Barcelona is in Spain)
- Located approximately at the Centre of the World. The Greenwich Meridian known as Longitude 0° passes through Ghana (Tema) and meets the Equator or Latitude 0° a few kilometers south of the country. Ghana therefore uses the G.M.T
- Has one of the oldest existing European Buildings in the Tropical World.- The Elmina Castle built by the Portuguese at Elmina in 1482
- The Country has three distinct geographical zones:
The Southern Zone
It has flat, undulating coastal savannah grassland with a few trees with adjoining coastal strands and mangrove swamps. Dry climate with high temperatures averaging 78°F. Two Rainfall maxima and High humidity averaging 60%
The Central Zone
High dissected highland areas with high forests. The area has two rainfall maxima – Major rainy season (May – August and Minor season September – November). Humidity is high averaging some 60%
The Northern Zone
Flat undulating landscape of savannah grassland and a few taunted fire resistant trees. Has a single rainfall maxima of July – October. Dry period culminating in the Harmattan between November and January. Temperatures average 78°F. Humidity is low averaging some 40%
- Has produced a number of World Class footballers such as Abedi Pele, Tony Yeboah, Stephen Appiah in addition to World Class professional boxers as Floyd Robertson, Azumah Nelson and Ike Quartey.
- Reputed worldwide for its unique Traditional Ghanian Hospitality which is proverbial.
- Produced several renowned Medical Officers, Scientists and tradesmen working in many countries, distributed all over the World. Prof. Allotey who developed the Allotey’s Constant in Mathematics is a Ghanaian.
- Producer of a lot of the following:
- Minerals
Gold, Diamond, Manganese, Bauxite and now Oil and Gas
- Cash Crops
Cocoa, Coffee, Shea nut, Oil palm
- Food crops
Maize, Yam, Cassava, Plantain, Beans
- Fruits
Pineapple, Pawpaw, Pear, Banana, Oranges
- Vegetables
Tomatoes, Okro, Pepper, Garden eggs
- Nuts
Groundnut, Cashew nuts, Tiger nuts
- Fish
Sea: Tuna, Mackerel, Herrings
River and Lake: Tilapia, Mudfish
Aqua culture: Tilapia
- Timber
Mahogany, Wawa, Obeche, Sapele
- Ghana has relatively high literacy rate in Africa.
- Produces relatively large quantities of power (Hydro – Akosombo and Bui) (Thermal in Tema, others under construction)
- The First Country of call in Black Africa, by the First ever Black president of the United States. (President Barack Obama)
- Cut sword to build the tallest ever Skyscraper in Africa ( Location: Donkona near Prampram)
- Established the First Ever Cardio Thoracic Centre in West Africa. (Located @ Korle-bu Teaching Hospital)
- Has some of the best quality Universities in Africa. – Univeristy of Ghana, Legon, University of Science and Technology, KNUST and Cape Coast University
- Produced the First ever woman Chief Justice in Black Africa. – Mrs. Georgina Wood.
- Major contributor of Troops for Peace Keeping Duties at war torn areas under the auspices of the United Nations since the Congo Uprising in the early 1960s
- Has the single richest Gold Mine in the World. – The Obuasi Gold Mines
- Produced some of the best African actors – Oman Hunter, Kwaw Ansah, Jackie Appiah
- Easily the most politically stable country in Black Africa that has embraced the Rule of Law and Democracy
- Harmonious co-existence among the Christians, Muslims and Traditional Animists
- Reputed to have the finest artificial habour in West Africa – The Tema Habour
- Has a very advantageous lingua franca- English easily the language of international diplomacy, Tourism and Civil Aviation
- Ghana has the highest concentration of ancient European built slave forts and castles on its coast, more than any other country in the world.