Ghana

Ghana is a small but influential country in western Africa, with a long coastline on the Gulf of Guinea. It has a rich and diverse culture, history, and natural resources. It was the first sub-Saharan African country to gain independence from colonial rule, led by the visionary and pan-Africanist leader Kwame Nkrumah, who inspired many other African nations to follow suit. Ghana has faced many challenges since then, such as corruption, mismanagement, and military coups, but it has also made significant progress in economic development and political reform.

Ghana's capital city is Accra, which lies on the coast. It was founded by the Ga people, and later became a thriving trading centre. It is now the main hub for commerce and education in the country. Another important city is Kumasi, which is located in the south-central region. It is known as the "Garden City of West Africa" because of its beautiful scenery. It is also the home of the Asante king, who represents the remnants of a powerful empire (see Asante empire) that existed in the 18th and 19th centuries.

Ghana shares its borders with Burkina Faso to the northwest and north, Togo to the east, Côte d’Ivoire to the west, and the Atlantic Ocean to the south.

Location

Ghana is a country in western Africa that lies along the Gulf of Guinea, an arm of the Atlantic Ocean. It has four neighbouring countries: Burkina Faso to the north and northwest, Togo to the east, Côte d’Ivoire to the west, and the ocean to the south. Ghana covers an area of about 238,500 square kilometers (92,100 square miles), which is slightly smaller than the United Kingdom or the U.S. state of Oregon. Ghana has a diverse natural environment, ranging from dry savanna in the north to tropical rainforest in the south. Ghana also has a rich cultural heritage, with more than 100 ethnic groups and many languages. Ghana was the first sub-Saharan African country to gain independence from colonial rule in 1957. Since then, Ghana has faced many political and economic challenges, but has also made significant progress in democracy and development. Ghana is known for its gold, cocoa, and oil production, as well as for its friendly people and vibrant culture.

History

The ancient times

Before the Pleistocene Epoch (about 2.6 million to 11,700 years ago), the climate of Ghana was different from what it is now. Sometimes it was wetter and the forest covered more land, and sometimes it was drier and humans lived closer to the Sahara. The earliest tools found in Ghana are from the southeast and date back to the Late Chellean period. Later, when the climate changed again, people came from the north and brought new cultures, such as the Acheulean, the Sangoan, and the Lupemban. These cultures used different types of stone tools and adapted to different environments.

The Middle Stone Age lasted until the end of a dry period, when people started to make small stone tools from pebbles. These tools are found in many places in Ghana, especially along the Togo mountains and on the silt terraces of the Niger River. This culture was not influenced by the cultures of the Sahara.

The New Stone Age saw the emergence of several cultures that used polished axes and pottery. The most distinctive one was around Kintampo and in the Accra plains, where people lived in clay houses, wore shale arm rings, used microliths made of chert from the Sahara, and made terra-cottas with grooves. Another culture near Abetifi was more similar to the Middle Stone Age. The end of this period is marked by the lowering of sea level about 2,000 years ago.

There is no clear evidence for when iron was introduced in Ghana. Polished stone was still used until the 16th century, especially in the forest. People traded greenstone for making axes. The chronology of this period is uncertain, and so is the connection between the existing ethnic groups and their ancestors. Some archaeological sites that may belong to this period are Nsuta, with pottery and beads, Sekondi, with pottery, stone axes, and beads, and some sites in the north with decorated pottery.

European contact and its consequences

The history of Ghana changed when Portuguese sailors arrived on the coast in 1471. They were interested in gold, which they could get from the local people in exchange for cloth, metal goods, beads, alcohol, weapons, and ammunition. They called the place Gold Coast and built stone castles on leased land to protect their trade. They tried to keep other Europeans out, but in the 17th century they were challenged by traders from Holland, England, Denmark, Sweden, and Prussia. These traders also wanted slaves for their plantations in America, as well as gold. By the mid-18th century there were about 40 forts on the coast controlled by different European merchants.

The presence of these forts had a big impact on Ghana. The trade routes shifted from north to south, and new goods and ideas came from Europe. The northern states that used to be rich and powerful lost their influence to new states in the south. One of these was Akwamu, which created an empire that stretched from central Gold Coast to Dahomey in the east. Another was Asante, which united several Akan states in the central forest under Osei Tutu. Asante expanded northward and southward, conquering many other states.

The coastal states were threatened by Asante invasions and looked for protection from the European traders. But after 1803 most of the Europeans stopped trading slaves and gold because of moral and economic reasons. They also did not want to take political responsibility for the coast. However, under George Maclean (1830–44), the British merchants started to act as protectors of the Fante states (see Fante confederacy), who opposed Asante domination. In 1850 Britain took over the British forts and bought out the Danish ones. The trade declined under British rule, and in 1860s some Fante leaders tried to form a confederation with a constitution independent of Britain and Asante. Britain rejected this idea and invaded Asante in 1874, but did not conquer it completely. In 1874 Gold Coast became a British colony.

Colonial era

Britain expanded its control over Ghana because of French and German activities in neighbouring territories and its own economic interests in mining and agriculture. Between 1896 and 1901 Britain conquered Asante and made its northern hinterland a protectorate. After World War I Britain also got western Togoland (see Togoland) as a mandate from the League of Nations. But Britain did not try to unify these four territories into one state right away. It gave some political rights to Gold Coast through a legislative council (1850) and a supreme court (1853), but ruled Asante and Northern Territories directly through its officials who worked with local chiefs. Togoland had a separate administration until 1956.

The main factor that brought Ghana together was its economic development based on cocoa production by farmers in the forest. Cocoa was introduced in the 1870s and by the 1920s Gold Coast was the world’s largest producer. Cocoa brought wealth and trade, which allowed for better infrastructure and social services, especially education. These changes also affected the traditional society and culture, making people more individualistic and connected by economic ties.

Political progress was slower than economic and social change, especially in the south. The northern territories were mainly used as a source of cheap labour for Gold Coast and Asante. World War II, in which Ghana contributed men and materials, increased the demand for more political rights. In 1948 there were riots in the big towns by workers and veterans. A commission reported that the constitution of 1946, which gave Africans a majority in the legislative council, was outdated. A committee of Africans was appointed to draft a new constitution with more executive power for African ministers and an elected assembly. Kwame Nkrumah, a radical leader who founded the Convention People’s Party (CPP), campaigned for immediate self-government with strikes and protests. In 1951 the CPP won most of the seats in the assembly and Nkrumah became the leader of the new government. He worked with Gov. Sir Charles Arden-Clarke to transfer more power to Africans. In 1956 British Togoland voted to join Gold Coast. In 1957 Ghana became an independent state within the Commonwealth and a member of the United Nations.

Independence of Ghana

Nkrumah’s rule, the 1966 coup, and civilian rule Nkrumah wanted Ghana to be a leader of African liberation and unity under his socialist vision. He made Ghana a republic in 1960 and became its life president. He controlled both the state and the CPP, which was the only legal party. He tried to spread his influence in Africa, but faced resistance from other leaders of independent states. His economic and social policies failed to improve the living standards of Ghanaians and led to corruption and debt. In February 1966, while he was in Beijing, he was overthrown by a coup led by army and police officers. They formed a National Liberation Council (NLC) headed by Lieut. Gen. Joseph A. Ankrah. They reformed the government and economy and promised to restore democracy. But Ankrah did not keep his promise and was replaced by Brigadier Akwasi Amankwaa Afrifa in 1969. A new constitution was made for a second republic, and elections were held in August 1969. The Progress Party, led by Kofi Busia, a professor who opposed Nkrumah, won most of the seats. Busia became prime minister and Edward Akufo-Addo, a former chief justice, became president.

Coups and democracy

The civilian government that came to power in 1969 was slow to improve the economy and the living conditions of Ghanaians. In 1972 it was overthrown by a military coup led by Col. Ignatius Kutu Acheampong, who formed a National Redemption Council (NRC) with other officers. The NRC banned political parties, dissolved the parliament, jailed politicians, and enacted harsh laws against dissent and crime. The NRC was replaced by a Supreme Military Council (SMC) in 1975, which included some civilians. The SMC proposed a "Union Government" that would have no political parties and would include both military and civilian members. But a referendum to approve this idea showed that most Ghanaians did not support the SMC.

• The SMC was weak and corrupt, and the economy was in crisis. In 1979 a group of young officers and soldiers, led by Jerry Rawlings, staged another coup and ousted the SMC. They executed Acheampong and his successor, Lieut. Gen. Frederick W.K. Akuffo, and set up a new government called the Armed Forces Revolutionary Council (AFRC). The AFRC promised to restore democracy and held elections later that year. Hilla Limann, a former diplomat, won the election and became president.

• But Limann's government did not satisfy Rawlings and his allies, who accused it of being incompetent and corrupt. In 1981 Rawlings staged his second coup and toppled Limann's government. He established a Provisional National Defense Council (PNDC) as the supreme authority of the country, with himself as chairman. He also created local committees to mobilize the people for his agenda of national renewal. He adopted conservative economic policies that won the support of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and other foreign donors. These policies helped to revive Ghana's economy, which grew rapidly in the 1990s.

• In 1992 Rawlings decided to return Ghana to civilian rule. He formed a new party, the National Democratic Congress (NDC), and ran for president in the first multiparty election since 1979. He faced seven other candidates, including Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), who was his main rival. Rawlings won the election with more than half of the votes. He was reelected in 1996 with a larger margin.

• Rawlings stepped down in 2001 after serving two terms as president. He was succeeded by John Agyekum Kufuor of the NPP, who won the 2000 election against Rawlings' vice president, John Evans Atta Mills of the NDC. Kufuor was the first president to peacefully take over from another elected president in Ghana's history. He was reelected in 2004.

• In 2008 Kufuor's term ended and he handed over power to Mills, who won a close election against Akufo-Addo in a runoff vote. Mills died in office in 2012 and was replaced by his vice president, John Dramani Mahama. Mahama ran for president later that year against Akufo-Addo and seven other candidates. Mahama narrowly defeated Akufo-Addo in the first round of voting, but Akufo-Addo challenged the results in court. The court upheld Mahama's victory after eight months of hearings.

• Mahama faced many challenges during his presidency, such as a weak economy, power shortages, and corruption scandals. One of the biggest scandals involved judicial corruption, which was exposed by a journalist named Anas Aremeyaw Anas in 2015. Anas secretly filmed about 180 judges and court officials taking bribes from litigants and lawyers. Many of them were dismissed or suspended after investigations by the Judicial Council.

• In 2016 Mahama ran for reelection against Akufo-Addo and 10 other candidates, including former first lady Nana Konadu Agyeman-Rawlings of the National Democratic Party (NDP). Akufo-Addo won the election with more than half of the votes, while Mahama got about 44 percent. Akufo-Addo was inaugurated in 2017.

• In 2020 Akufo-Addo faced Mahama again as well as 10 other candidates in another presidential election. Akufo-Addo was reelected with slightly more than 51 percent of the votes, while Mahama got slightly less than 48 percent. The parliamentary election held on the same day resulted in a tie between Akufo-Addo's NPP and Mahama's NDC, each winning 137 seats out of 275, with one seat going to an independent candidate. This meant that Akufo-Addo would have to deal with a hung parliament that could block or delay his policies. Mahama refused to accept the results of the presidential election and filed a petition to the Supreme Court to overturn them. He claimed that there were irregularities that affected the outcome of the election. The court dismissed his petition in March 2021 and confirmed Akufo-Addo's victory. Akufo-Addo had been sworn in for his second term in January 2021.

Relief & Drainage

Ghana is a low-lying country in western Africa, with a long coastline on the Gulf of Guinea. It shares borders with Burkina Faso, Togo, and Côte d’Ivoire. Ghana has different types of rocks and soils that affect its landscape and natural resources.

Most of the land in Ghana is flat, with elevations not higher than 900 metres (3,000 feet). Some parts of the country have ancient rocks that are more than 540 million years old. These rocks form hills and valleys that have been eroded by water and wind over time. Other parts of the country have younger rocks that are less than 65 million years old. These rocks form the delta of the Volta River and the coast.

The Volta River is the main river in Ghana. It flows from north to south and empties into the Gulf of Guinea. It has three main branches: the Black Volta, the White Volta, and the Oti. The Volta River basin covers most of the central part of the country. It also contains Lake Volta, which is one of the largest artificial lakes in the world. It was created by building a dam at Akosombo in 1965. The lake provides water for irrigation, fishing, and hydroelectric power.

Other rivers in Ghana flow directly into the ocean from the south. They include the Pra, the Ankobra, the Tano, and many smaller ones. They separate the land into different regions called the forest zone, the coastal savanna zone, and the northern savanna zone. The only natural lake in Ghana is Lake Bosumtwi, which is near Kumasi in the south-central part of the country. It was formed by a meteorite impact and has no outlet to the sea.

The soils of Ghana are mostly poor in nutrients because they have been washed away by rain or leached by water. The best soils for farming are found in areas where there is moderate rainfall and less leaching. These are called ochrosols and are red, brown, or yellow-brown in colour. They are common in both the forest zone and the savanna zone. The worst soils for farming are called oxisols and are very acidic and infertile. They are found in the southwest corner of the country, where there is too much rainfall.

The soils of Ghana depend on the vegetation cover for their fertility. The vegetation provides organic matter that enriches the soil. If the vegetation is destroyed by fire or overuse, the soil becomes degraded and loses its productivity. Therefore, there is a delicate balance between vegetation and soil fertility that needs to be maintained for sustainable agriculture and environmental protection.

Weather

Ghana's climate is influenced by two main air masses: a hot, dry one that comes from the Sahara desert and a warm, humid one that comes from the South Atlantic Ocean. These air masses meet at the Guinea Coast, where they cause rain or drought depending on the season. The dry air moves south with the northeast winds, called the harmattan, and the humid air moves north with the southwest winds. The place where they meet changes with the position of the sun and the temperature of the land.

The north of Ghana has a savanna climate, with two seasons: a dry season from November to March, when it is hot during the day and cool at night, and a wet season from April to October, when it rains most in August and September. The average rainfall in this region is between 1,020 and 1,400 mm (40 and 55 inches) per year, but it is not enough to make up for the long dry season.

The south of Ghana has a forest climate, with more rain and less variation in temperature. There are two rainy seasons: one from April to July and another from September to November. There are also two dry periods: one from December to February, when the harmattan blows, and another in August, when it is misty along the coast. The average rainfall in this region varies from 1,270 to 2,180 mm (50 to 86 inches) per year, depending on the location.

The temperatures in Ghana are similar in different regions. The average temperature is between 26 and 29 °C (78 and 84 °F) per year and the daily difference is between 6 and 17 °C (10 and 30 °F). The hottest months are February and March, before the rains start, and the coldest months are January or August. The humidity is higher in the south than in the north. It can reach 100 percent in the south and drop to 12 percent in the north during the harmattan season. The high heat and humidity can make people feel tired, but they are reduced by the altitude in some places and by the breezes from the land and sea along the coast.

Fauna & Flora

Ghana has three main types of vegetation: coastal savanna, forest, and northern savanna. The coastal savanna is in the southeast, around Accra. It has scrub and tall grass, with big anthills and some drought-resistant plants. The forest is in the south and along the Akwapim-Togo Ranges. It has evergreen and semi-deciduous trees, some of them very tall and old. The forest used to cover a large area, but it has been reduced by farming and logging. The government has a policy to protect and replant the forest. The northern savanna is in the north, where it rains less. It has grass and low trees, such as the shea butter tree and the baobab. Some of the land has been cleared by people for a long time.

Ghana has many kinds of animals, but some of them have been hunted or affected by human settlement. There are big animals like lions, leopards, hyenas, antelope, elephants, buffalo, wild hogs, chimpanzees, and monkeys. There are also snakes like pythons, cobras, horned and puff adders, and green mambas. There are crocodiles, manatees, otters, hippopotamuses, lizards, tortoises, and giant snails in the rivers and lakes. There are many birds like parrots, hornbills, kingfishers, eagles, kites, herons, cuckoos, nightjars, sunbirds, egrets, vultures, snakebirds, and plantain eaters.

The ocean and the water bodies have a lot of fish and other life forms. There are sardines (herring), anchovy, tuna, mackerel, soles, skates, mullet, bonitos, flying fish, lungfish, elephant fish, sea bream, and sharks. There are also edible turtles, barracuda, stingrays; mussels, crabs, lobsters; and prawns.

Ghana has some national parks and reserves to protect its wildlife. The Mole National Park near Damongo is very big and has many animals like elephants, monkeys, and crocodiles. The Kakum National Park near Cape Coast is a rainforest with endangered animals like reptiles, birds; butterflies; as well as many trees and plants. There are other smaller parks and reserves in other parts of the country.

Demography

Ethnic and linguistic groups

Ghana's people belong to one big group within Africa, but there are many smaller groups within it. Based on language, there are at least 75 groups. Most of them are small, but 10 of them are big. The biggest groups are the Akan (which includes the Anyi; Asante [Ashanti]; Baule; Fante; and Guang); Mole-Dagbani (see Dagomba); Ewe; Ga-Adangme (see Ga and Adangme); and Gurma. Most of these groups moved into Ghana from the north in the last 700 to 1,000 years.

Religion

More than half of Ghana's people are Christian, about one-fifth are Muslim, and a small part follow the traditional religions. The traditional religions have no set doctrines but believe in a supreme being, many gods linked to nature, ancestors who can help or harm people, and magic and divination. In the past Christianity grew at the expense of the traditional religions but slowed down after independence. Since then Islam has grown more.

Population distribution

Most of Ghana's people live in rural areas where they farm mostly for themselves. Farming is not intensive but extensive: people use a lot of land for a little crop. They usually farm for two or three years on one piece of land then leave it alone for four to seven years to recover. Sometimes they plant cacao or other trees that they can farm for longer.

About half of Ghana's people live in urban areas where there is more trade and business. The biggest urban area is Accra-Tema with more than one million people followed by Kumasi and Tamale. Most of the urban areas are still small compared to other countries.

There are no serious ethnic problems in Ghana but sometimes there is tension between different groups especially in the north where there have been violent clashes with many deaths. The government tries to reduce ethnic differences by using English as the official language and having people from different groups in government and public life.

Economy

Ghana's economy is a mix of private and public businesses. Services make up about three-fifths of GDP while agriculture makes up about one-fifth and industry makes up about one-fourth.

Before independence the government only provided basic utilities like water, electricity, railways, roads, and postal services. Most of the economy was in private hands, with foreign interests controlling most of it except agriculture.

After independence, the government tried to control more of the economy by setting up many state-owned businesses in agriculture and industry. It also tried to attract foreign investors to work with the government or on their own. These policies did not work well because of poor planning and corrupt administration. By 1966, when the government of Pres. Kwame Nkrumah was overthrown, the country had a lot of debt and no reserves.

Later governments tried to fix the economy by dealing with the debt, inflation, trade deficit, agricultural productivity, and industrial development. They also tried to save foreign exchange by exporting more local goods.

Between 1966 and 1972 the government reduced its involvement in the economy. But after the 1972 coup, the government returned to a centralized economy. It repudiated some debts, cut imports, restarted some industrial projects, and increased nationalization and state control. In 1974, it agreed to repay some debts and became more open to investment from developed countries. But political instability led to some bad economic policies. Ghana's debt and trade deficit grew and it had to devalue its currency (the cedi) several times.

Under a program sponsored by the World Bank in the late 1980s, the government changed its policies to encourage private and foreign businesses and to improve the economy. In the 1990s and 2000s, the government focused on economic stability and transparency and continued with privatization efforts. Ghana became a model of African economic recovery and political reform and got some debt relief from the World Bank and other donors. But by 2015 Ghana had a high debt burden again.

Agriculture & Farming

Ghana grows a lot of crops for local use and for export. The most important crop is cocoa, which is grown on more than half of the farmland and brings in a lot of money from foreign buyers. The price of cocoa affects Ghana's economy a lot. Cocoa production declined in the 1970s because of many problems, such as old and sick trees, drought, fire, bad roads, low prices, and smuggling. The government tried to improve the situation by changing the Cocoa Marketing Board (set up in 1947 to control cocoa prices) and allowing private traders to compete. By the late 1990s, the farmers got more money for their cocoa and produced more.

Ghana also has a lot of timber, which used to be a big source of foreign money. But in the late 20th century, the government limited the cutting and exporting of logs. The government also gives logging licenses to fewer people.

The Ghanaian market is important for food production. The soil and climate are good for many kinds of crops. In the northern savanna zone, people grow yams and grains like rice and millet. They also raise cattle there. In the forests, people get shea nuts and kola nuts. The government has tried to encourage more food production to reduce dependence on a few crops and to import less food. But sometimes the government's policies are not consistent because they also want to export more crops that can earn foreign money. Besides cocoa and timber, other crops that are exported include sugar; coffee; palm oil; palm kernels; copra; and various fruits and vegetables.

Ghana's waters have a lot of fish. The fish come from the ocean, rivers, lakes, and Lake Volta (a big artificial lake made by a dam on the Volta River). Some of the fish are cape hake; grunt; sea bream; tilapia; herring; mackerel; barracuda; and tuna. Some fish are dried or smoked and eaten locally; some are kept cold; some are canned or fresh and exported.

Ghana has some minerals, but only a few are mined. The most important ones are gold, diamonds, manganese, and bauxite (the main ore of aluminum). Gold mining has been going on since the 15th century and is still important today. Diamonds were found in 1919 and bauxite in 1942. Ghana also has some limestone and iron ore. Salt is made from the sea and lagoons.

Ghana has oil and natural gas reserves offshore. The state-owned Ghana National Petroleum Corporation (GNPC) works in all parts of the oil and gas industry. Oil was found offshore in 1970 but was not developed until 1974 because it was not profitable before. In 1974 and 1980, natural gas was found offshore too. Oil production started in 1978 in the Saltpond area. More oil was found offshore near Côte d'Ivoire in the 21st century. Oil production at the Jubilee field started in 2010 and increased Ghana's output a lot. More oil production started at the TEN field in 2016 and the Offshore Cape Three Points field in 2017. Natural gas is also produced at these fields.

About three-fifths of Ghana's electricity comes from oil- or gas-fired plants, such as those at Kpone; Tema; and Takoradi. About two-fifths comes from hydroelectric power from dams on the Volta River. The biggest dam is at Akosombo; another dam is at Kpong; another dam is at Bui on the Black Volta River. The dams provide water for farming, fishing, and other uses as well as electricity. But sometimes there is not enough rain and water for the dams to work well.

Ghana has many rivers that could be used for hydroelectric power but they are not used yet because they have problems like tsetse flies that kill cattle or diseases that affect people.

Natural Resources

Ghana has some minerals, but only a few are mined. The most important ones are gold, diamonds, manganese, and bauxite (the main ore of aluminum). Gold mining has been going on since the 15th century and is still important today. Diamonds were found in 1919 and bauxite in 1942. Ghana also has some limestone and iron ore. Salt is made from the sea and lagoons.

Ghana has oil and natural gas reserves offshore. The state-owned Ghana National Petroleum Corporation (GNPC) works in all parts of the oil and gas industry. Oil was found offshore in 1970 but was not developed until 1974 because it was not profitable before. In 1974 and 1980, natural gas was found offshore too. Oil production started in 1978 in the Saltpond area. More oil was found offshore near Côte d'Ivoire in the 21st century. Oil production at the Jubilee field started in 2010 and increased Ghana's output a lot. More oil production started at the TEN field in 2016 and the Offshore Cape Three Points field in 2017. Natural gas is also produced at these fields.

About three-fifths of Ghana's electricity comes from oil- or gas-fired plants, such as those at Kpone; Tema; and Takoradi. About two-fifths comes from hydroelectric power from dams on the Volta River. The biggest dam is at Akosombo; another dam is at Kpong; another dam is at Bui on the Black Volta River. The dams provide water for farming, fishing, and other uses as well as electricity. But sometimes there is not enough rain and water for the dams to work well.

Ghana has many rivers that could be used for hydroelectric power but they are not used yet because they have problems like tsetse flies that kill cattle or diseases that affect people.

Finance and Services

Tourism became a major source of foreign money for Ghana in the late 20th century. It grew a lot in the 1990s because of fixing historic monuments and making ecotourism at Kakum National Park. The most important fixes were done at Elmina Castle, built by the Portuguese in 1482, and Cape Coast, built by the British in 1655. They are two of about 30 stone forts on the coast of Ghana that were built for Europeans who traded gold and slaves. The private hotel industry has expanded because of new tourists and a free market economy. There are hotels for tourists in almost all big Ghanaian cities.

Constitutional Framework

Ghana has a multiparty republic with a president and a vice president. The president is chosen for four years (and can be chosen again for one more term) by all adults who can vote. There is also a Council of State that gives advice and opinions and a Parliament with one chamber, whose members are chosen directly for four-year terms. The president chooses the cabinet, which has about 20 to 25 members.

Since the time of British colonial rule, chieftaincy and the traditional political authorities have worked along parallel lines with the central government. This has continued or even increased since independence, and chieftaincy has become more and more separate from real political power at almost all levels of government; its role now is mostly ceremonial.

Local Government

Ghana has 16 regions that are divided into smaller districts. The regions are Ahafo, Ashanti, Bono, Bono East, Central, Eastern, Greater Accra, North East, Northern, Oti, Savannah, Upper East, Upper West, Volta, Western, and Western North. The 1992 constitution said that District Assemblies should be elected by the people. The government also adds some members and a District Chief Executive to each District Assembly. But the district and local government members do not belong to any political party.

Justice

The legal system is mainly based on the English model, but it also recognizes Ghanaian customary law and English common law. There are different courts that deal with justice in two groups: the superior courts, which include the Supreme Court, the Court of Appeal, and the High Court; and the inferior courts, which include the circuit courts, the district courts, and other courts made by law, such as the juvenile courts. The regional and National House of Chiefs are the ones who decide on chieftaincy and traditional matters. If someone is not happy with the decision of the National House of Chiefs, they can appeal to the Supreme Court.

Security

Ghana has an army, a navy, and an air force as its military. The army is the biggest part of the military. Ghanaian soldiers have taken part in several missions as United Nations Peacekeeping Forces.

Health and welfare

Ghana faces many health challenges, such as infectious diseases, poor sanitation, and malnutrition. The government's health policy aims to improve public health, and has made many improvements in nutrition and maternal and child care since independence. Many diseases that used to kill many people, such as malaria, pneumonia, and gastroenteritis, have been controlled better because of better hygiene, drugs, and education. However, many communities still lack good sanitation and water facilities, which makes it hard to improve public health. Ghana has also made progress in fighting AIDS. The HIV infection rate in Ghana is similar to or lower than many other African countries.

There are government and Christian mission hospitals and clinics in most parts of the country. There are also health centres, dispensaries, and dressing stations (first-aid centres) that provide extra services. There has been some progress in the number and quality of health facilities and medical staff, but the fast population growth puts a lot of pressure on them. Besides the many doctors who work for the government, there are also many private doctors who run their own clinics and hospitals. Doctors and dentists have the support of nurses, midwives, pharmacists, and helpers.

Education

Ghana has one of the best education systems in West Africa. Basic education has two years of kindergarten, six years of primary school, and three years of junior secondary school. After that, there are three years of senior secondary school, which has vocational programs or courses that get students ready for university or other higher education in polytechnics and specialized institutions. Basic education is free and everyone has to do it. Senior secondary school was made free in 2017.

There are universities such as the University of Ghana, with campuses at Legon and Accra (started in 1948), the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology at Kumasi (1951), the University of Cape Coast (1962), the University of Education at Winneba (1992), and the University for Development Studies at Tamale (1992). There are also many technical and training colleges in the country, and Accra has the National Film and Television Institute (1978).

More students went to school after Ghana became independent, especially secondary school students. There are also private schools at elementary and secondary levels besides government-funded schools. About three-fourths of adults can read and write. Ghana's literacy rate is higher than the average for West and Central Africa but lower than the world average.

Culture

Ghana has many cultural institutions that are outstanding. The National Commission on Culture, which keeps and promotes the culture of Ghana, has culture centres in different regions of the country. The Centre for National Culture in Kumasi is famous for the culture of the Asante people. The National Theatre, in Accra, has the National Symphony Orchestra, the National Dance Company, and the National Drama Company. The Ghana Museum and Monuments Board is also in Accra, where it runs the National Museum, which has collections of culture, history, and art, and the Museum of Science and Technology. The Monuments Board also has other museums in the country and takes care of buildings and things that are important for history, such as forts and castles, and important art treasures in the country. The forts were built by different European countries, mostly between the 14th and 18th centuries, and are all on the coast except the Kumasi fort (1897). The forts and castles were together named a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1979. The board also helps to keep traditional Asante buildings that are northeast of Kumasi; they are some of the last ones like that and they were together named a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1980.

Sport

Ghana started to develop sports after it became independent in 1957. Pres. Kwame Nkrumah wanted sports to help create a national identity and to get international recognition for the new country. The government supported sports in the 1960s and made great progress, especially in athletics, boxing, and football. Ghanaian athletes shone at the Commonwealth Games and the All-Africa Games, with track stars like Leonard Myles-Mills becoming famous.

Ghanaians also do well in other sports like cricket, basketball, and volleyball. But most of it's habitants give priority to football, and the Betpawa Premier League (commertial name after the $6M agreement signed with Mchezo in 2022), currently considered the 11th most important across the African continent. Football is the most popular sport in Ghana, and Ghana is one of the best teams in Africa. Football became very popular in the colonial times. The men's national team, the Black Stars, has won many African championships. Women's football is also popular, especially after the national team, the Black Queens, came second in the 1998 African Championships and played in the 1999 Women's World Cup. The junior men's national teams are very good and have won many international cups and titles.

Ghana first took part in the Olympics as the Gold Coast at the 1952 Summer Games in Helsinki. That was also when the country's Olympic committee was formed and accepted. Ghanaian boxer Clement (“Ike”) Quartey was the [first black African to win an Olympic medal] when he got a silver in the lightweight division at the 1960 Games in Rome.