Ghana At A Glance

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% (1^st 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?

1. First African Country, South of the Sahara to have obtained political freedom from the British Colonial rule.
2. Produced the First African of the Last Millennium. – Dr. Kwame Nkrumah
3. Produced the First Black African Secretary General of the United Nations. – Mr. Kofi Annan
4. Producer of the best quality Cocoa in the world.
5. Has the largest man-made lake on Earth. – The Volta Lake
6. 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)
7. 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
8. Has one of the oldest existing European Buildings in the Tropical World.- The Elmina Castle built by the Portuguese at Elmina in 1482
9. 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%

 

10. 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.
11. Reputed worldwide for its unique Traditional Ghanian Hospitality which is proverbial.
12. 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.
13. 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

14. Ghana has relatively high literacy rate in Africa.
15. Produces relatively large quantities of power (Hydro – Akosombo and Bui) (Thermal in Tema, others under construction)
16. The First Country of call in Black Africa, by the First ever Black president of the United States. (President Barack Obama)
17. Cut sword to build the tallest ever Skyscraper in Africa ( Location: Donkona near Prampram)
18. Established the First Ever Cardio Thoracic Centre in West Africa. (Located @ Korle-bu Teaching Hospital)
19. Has some of the best quality Universities in Africa. – Univeristy of Ghana, Legon, University of Science and Technology, KNUST and Cape Coast University
20. Produced the First ever woman Chief Justice in Black Africa. – Mrs. Georgina Wood.
21. 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
22. Has the single richest Gold Mine in the World. – The Obuasi Gold Mines
23. Produced some of the best African actors – Oman Hunter, Kwaw Ansah, Jackie Appiah
24. Easily the most politically stable country in Black Africa that has embraced the Rule of Law and Democracy
25. Harmonious co-existence among the Christians, Muslims and Traditional Animists
26. Reputed to have the finest artificial habour in West Africa – The Tema Habour
27. Has a very advantageous lingua franca- English easily the language of international diplomacy, Tourism and Civil Aviation
28. Ghana has the highest concentration of ancient European built slave forts and castles on its coast, more than any other country in the world.