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TEXT HIGHLIGHTS: Diaries updates, key events, brief analysis and relating news articles in timeline Overview A Deeper Look Into The Life Of Mansa Musa – The Richest Human Being Who Ever Lived AFRICANGLOBE – When we think of the wealthiest people in the world, we most often think of the Waltons (of Wal-Mart fame), Warren Buffett, or Bill Gates. However, if you go a bit further back in history, you’ll discover that the wealth of the kings, queens, and rulers of yesteryear trumps the bank accounts of most modern day millionaires and even billionaires by a mile. In fact, during his time, one man controlled more wealth than Bill Gates, Warren Buffett, and the most wealthy member of the Walton family, Sam Walton, combined. That man was Mansa Musa I. With an adjusted net worth of approximately $400 billion, Musa is without a doubt the richest man to have ever lived. So who was he? And why haven’t you heard more about him? Emperor Mansa Musa I, also known as Musa of Mali (Mansa actually means “King of Kings”), was born in Mali, sometime in the 1280s. Mansa Musa came to be king in a rather roundabout way. His grandfather, Abu Bakr, was the brother of Sundiata Keita, the man who founded the Malian Empire. Neither Abu Bakr or his son, Faga Laye, ever took the throne, and Mansa Musa was appointed deputy ruler if the king ever went on an extended trip or pilgrimage to Mecca. He was appointed deputy under Abubakari II, who had visions of exploring the far reaches of the Atlantic Ocean. Abubakari sent 200 boats out into the sea, ordering they not return from their voyage until they had reached the far side of the Atlantic, or until they ran out of food and water, whichever came first. Quite a long time later, one boat returned, with tales of a great whirlpool that had drowned everyone. Abubakari didn’t believe the captain’s story, so he took 2,000 boats, and appointing himself head of the expedition, set off to find the truth. As the King’s deputy, Mansa Musa became ruler in his absence. Abubakari II never returned, and Mansa Musa eventually inherited the throne. Much of Musa’s wealth came from the production of mosques, madrsasas, and universities, many of which are still standing today. The University of Sankore was built during his time, and is still in existence. The quality of life in urban centers, such as Timbuktu, was vastly superior to other parts of the world at the time, largely due to the availability of work, and Musa’s control of the gold and salt trades. When traveling throughout his kingdom on the way to Mecca in 1324, his procession included 60,000 people. Along the way, 12,000 of his followers carried four-pound gold bars, which he gave away to the poor everywhere he went. Unfortunately, this devalued the gold, especially in Cairo, Medina, and Mecca, and Musa subsequently borrowed as much gold as he could from money lenders in Cairo, even though it was loaned at a high interest rate. As a result, he now controlled the price of gold for all of the Mediterranean. He also controlled more than half of the world’s salt supply. Between his gold and his salt, traders from as far away as Europe made annual trips to his kingdom from Venice, Granada, and Genoa, and this gave him the power to set prices as high he wanted. In 1330, Mossi invaded Timbuktu, which Musa had annexed in 1325. He quickly recaptured the city, fortifying its boundary with a fort and a standing army. As a major seat for trade in the region, control of Timbuktu meant control of the flow of money. During his reign, Mali grew to have more than 400 bustling cities. Muslim scholars from abroad flocked to the University of Sankore to study, and Musa controlled everything from his massive palace in Timbuktu, which was constructed by architects imported from Andalusia in Spain. He also created one large system of government for most of the Western Sudan. Under his rule, the region was said to exist in “complete and general safety.” Records of how Musa died vary greatly, so it’s unclear whether he died soon after returning from his pilgrimage to Mecca, or whether he continued to live for another ten years. His son, Mansa Maghan, became ruler in 1332, and his older brother, Mansa Suleyman, became ruler in 1336. Mansa Musa’s period of rule is recorded as 25 years, but whether his reign ended in 1332 because of his death, or his resignation, remains unclear. What is clear, is that for over two decades, one man almost single-handedly controlled a massively wealthy empire with multiple major trading ports. Today, there aren’t any billionaires who could command 12,000 people to carry four-pound bricks of gold on an incredibly long walk. Or even billionaires who could affect the price of gold by simply being in charge. Mansa Musa was not only the wealthiest man to ever live, but arguably the most powerful. This may be a good part of the reason his story is skimmed over in most textbooks. That aside, Mansa Musa is a clear, and perhaps rare example, of a very wealthy individual who held at least an equal amount of power to go along with it. (By: Paula Wilson) Profiles: Queen Mother Nana Yaa Asantewaa of West Africa’s Ashanti Empire By Editorial Staff - October 31, 2012 Nana Yaa Asantewaa (c.1840 – 17 October 1921) was appointed queen mother of Ejisu of the Ashanti Empire—now part of modern-day Ghana— by her brother Nana Akwasi Afrane Okpese, the Ejisuhene “ruler of Ejisu”. In 1900 she led the Ashanti rebellion known as the War of the Golden Stool against British colonialism. Prelude to Rebellion During her brother’s reign, Yaa Asantewaa saw the Asante Confederacy go through a series of events that threatened its future, including civil war from 1883 to 1888. When her brother died in 1894, Yaa Asantewaa used her right as Queen Mother to nominate her own grandson as Ejisuhene. When the British exiled him in the Seychelles in 1896, along with the King of Asante Prempeh I and other members of the Asante government, Nana Yaa Asantewaa became regent of the Ejisu-Juaben District. After the deportation of Prempeh I, the savage British governor-general of the Gold Coast, Frederick Hodgson, demanded the Golden Stool, the symbol of the Asante nation. This request led to a secret meeting of the remaining members of the Asante government at Kumasi, to discuss how to secure the return of their king. There was a disagreement among those present on how to go about this. Yaa Asantewaa, who was present at this meeting, stood and addressed the members of the council with these now-famous words: Now I see that some of you fear to go forward to fight for our king. If it was in the brave days of Osei Tutu, Okomfo Anokye, and Opoku Ware, chiefs would not sit down to see their king to be taken away without firing a shot. No European could have dared speak to chiefs of Asante in the way the governor spoke to you this morning. Is it true that the bravery of Asante is no more? I cannot believe it. It cannot be! I must say this: if you, the men of Asante, will not go forward, then we will. We, the women, will. I shall call upon my fellow women. We will fight! We will fight till the last of us falls in the battlefields. With this, she took on leadership of the Asante Uprising of 1900, gaining the support of some of the other Asante nobility. Place in history and cultural legacy Yaa Asantewaa remains a much-loved figure in Asante history and the history of Ghana as a whole for the courage she showed in confronting injustice during the colonialism of the British. She is immortalized in the song. Koo koo hin koYaa Asantewaa ee! Obaa basia Ogyina apremo ano ee! Waye be egyae Na Wabo mmode (“Yaa Asantewaa The woman who fights before cannons You have accomplished great things You have done we To highlight the importance of encouraging more female leaders in Ghanaian society, the Yaa Asantewaa Girls’ Secondary School was established at Kumasi in 1960 with funds from the Ghana Educational Trust. In 2000, week-long centenary celebrations were held in Ghana to acknowledge Yaa Asantewaa’s accomplishments. As part of these celebrations, a museum was dedicated to her at Kwaso in the Ejisu- Juaben District on 3 August 2000. Unfortunately, a fire there on 23 July 2004, destroyed several historical items, including her sandals and battle dress (batakarikese) seen in the photograph above. The current Queen- mother of Ejisu is Yaa Asantewaa II. A Yaa Asantewaa festival is also held annually in Ejisu. A television documentary by Ivor Agyeman-Duah entitled Yaa Asantewaa – The Exile of King Prempeh and the Heroism of An African Queen was premiered in Ghana in 2001. A stage show written by Margaret Busby, Yaa Asantewaa: Warrior Queen, featuring master drummer Kofi Ghanaba and with a pan-African cast, toured the UK and Ghana in 2001. A radio drama by the same author was also serialized in 2003.

Modern Ghana was created from the British Gold Coast Colony, established in 1874, and the UK-administered Trusteeship Territory of Togoland, incorporated in 1956 following a plebiscite. Part of the Gold Coast Trans-Volta Togoland - had once been part of Togo which was then a German colony. But after the defeat of Germany in WW I, Togo was divided into two by the League of Nations (LoN), which that was later to be replaced by the United Nations Organisation (UNO). One part of Togo given to France to administer as a separate colony under a League of Nations (LoN) 'mandate', while the other part was given to Britain to administer under the same 'mandate' conditions. In the mid-1950s Agitation for independence grew strongly after the Second World War. From the early 1950s, self-government was introduced with elections in 1951, 1954 and 1956 to the legislative assembly. Kwame Nkrumah’a party, the CPP, won all 3 elections and led the country to independence, as Ghana, in March 1957. Ghana was the first sub-Saharan country in colonial Africa to gain its independence. Nkrumah was the first Prime Minister, and in 1960 became President with the change of Ghana’s status to a Republic within the Commonwealth. Kwame Nkrumah turned Ghana into a 1-party state under African Socialism. A celebrated pan-Africanist, he also developed close ties with the Soviet Bloc. He was overthrown in Ghana’s first military coup in 1966. For the next 26 years until 1992, Ghana had only short periods of civilian rule (1969-71,1979-81) interrupted by longer periods of military rule (1966-69,1972-79, 1981- 1991). During the last period of military rule Flt Lt Jerry Rawlings brought in populist policies, and Cuban-style revolutionary institutions, including the CDRs, Committees for the Defence of the Revolution, and Peoples Defence Committees. However, under pressure internally and from the international community, in 1991 Rawlings conceded a return to constitutional rule and multi-party politics. A new constitution was approved in a referendum in April 1992. Liberation struggle When: 1949 Who: Led by Kwame Nkrumah and colleagues Why: Colonial oppression Outcome: Independence Ghana is known to be the first UK colony in Africa to attain it's independence in 6th March, 1957. Headship since independence; Head of instrumental self-administration and later founder president of Ghana. Dr. Osagyefo Kwame N'krumah became founder-president for the "Republic of Ghana" led the first sub-Saharan African country to gain independence from colonialism in February 24, 1960. Nkrumaism sought to transform Ghana into a modern socialist state through state-driven industrialization. He built the Akosombo Hydro-power Dam on the Volta River, at the time considered the “largest single investment in the economic development plans of Ghana”. He promoted the cult of personality and was hailed as the “Messiah”, “Father of Ghana and Pan Africanism” and “Father of African nationalism”. He crushed the unions and the opposition, jailed the judges, created a one-man, one-party state and tried to make himself “President for life”. He left a bitter legacy of one-man, one-party rule which to this day serves as a model of dictatorship for all of Africa. Nkrumah died in Romania under medical treatment. Kwame Nkrumah was deposed in a military coup led by Lt. General Joseph Ankrah, he who was Chairman of the National Liberation Council (NLC) that replaced the government of Dr. Kwame N'krumah in February, 1966. Dr. Kwame N'krumah was overthrown in a CIA-inspired military coup in February, 1966. Dr. During his tenure embarked on programmes to accelerate Ghana's economic development through the provision of free and compulsory universal education, primary healthcare, infrastructure development, rapid industrialisation, among others. On the 17th April, 1967 there had been an abortive counter-coup led by Lieutenant SB Arthur which was known as "the Guitar-Boy Coup". When Lt. Arthur appears into Burma military barrack, he promptly arrested by enlisted officers and put him in a guardroom, then later he was court- martialled and executed. There were series of coups in Ghana until the entry of Flight Lt. Jerry Rawlings who was then able to stage a coup for a second time and overthrew the elected government of Dr. Hilla Limann in 1981. A Republic in West Africa Formerly known as the "Gold coast" meaning for "Land of Gold". There was a powerful Empire b/n 4th and the 13th century, it was a major source of Gold and manpower (slavery) for Europeans after 1471. Ghana was the first place in sub-Saharan Africa where Europeans arrived to trade - first in gold, later in slaves. A British Crowncolony of the Gold coast established in 1874 and a British protectorate were established in 1901, then merged with British Togoland trust territory in 1957 as the independent state of Ghana. It became "A republic within the commonwealth of nations", as Queen Elizabeth II, colonial head. A British Crowncolony of the Gold coast established in 1874 and a British protectorate were established in 1901, Ghana was formed from a merger of former colony of Gold Coast and Togoland trust territory in 1957 as the independent state of Ghana. The Gold Coast is known to become the first UK colony in Africa and was also the first black African nation in the region to achieve independence from a colonial power, in this instance Britain in 6th March, 1957. Upon his return back to Ghana (Gold Coast then) in 1947, Dr. Kwame N'krumah first became secretary general of the United Gold Coast Convention party, established by Dr. J. B. Danquah, whom he saw as enemy when he was in power and threw him to prison. He was the leader of Ghana and it's predecessor state the Gold coast commencing from 1952 and was to become founder-president for the Republic of Ghana in February 24, 1960. Dr. Kwame N'krumah made the famous declaration that Ghana’s independence was meaningless unless the whole of Africa was liberated from colonial rule, then he went into action almost immediately. In followed years, he called the liberation movements to Ghana to discuss the common strategy for the liberation of the continent from colonialism in preparation for the African Peoples Conference (APC), which that conference lit the liberation torch throughout colonial Africa. Dr. Kwame N’krumah was one of the most respected leaders in Africa, he has been an exemplary leader to both the old and the young, and also perhaps best known politically for his strong commitment, dedication, patriotism and promotion of Pan-Africanism, he read, lectured, wrote number of books & speeches. The idea of Pan-African was conceived by Dr. Kwame N'krumah and he, without doubt was the prime mover of the movement. Nevertheless, contributions of his collaborators to make such dream come true were undeniables. Theories were formed, meetings were conducted in foreign lands and in situations that were very difficult to manage. When one speaks of African unity, obviously he or she cannot separate it from its origin in the Pan-Africanist Movement of the early 20th century, mostly associated with Dr. W.E.B. Du Bois. In Africa, Pan Africanism was given root by Dr. Kwame Nkrumah, the first President of Ghana, who in his student days in the United States and the United Kingdom was an active participant in the struggles and activist movements of those days. Kwame Nkrumah quoted as saying, “The forces that unite us are intrinsic and greater than the superimposed influences that keep us apart” to be optimistic that the slow pace for strong unity will pick up speed. Before that, however, he fully engaged himself in the anti-colonial struggle to help attain Ghana’s independence from Britain—more appropriately, home rule at the time. Nkrumah thought he would do better in realizing the goal of independence and his life long ambition of African unity, more appropriately, Pan Africanism, which he not only practiced as politics but also lived with as profound personal conviction. Therefore, in 1949 he established his own party, the Convention People’s Party (CPP). With that as a mass galvanizing force, he led a series of strikes and boycotts and eventually forced independence from the British in 1957. Dr. Kwame N'krumah as the initiator of the pan-Africanist movement in Africa, he even endeavored to realize his dream of African Unity, making Ghana’s external policy an instrument toward that and by experimenting sort of loose union he had tried with Guinea in 1959 and Mali in 1960. But equally difficult was to bring Africa together that had been divided linguistically by the colonial masters after attaining independence and before the May, 1963 Summit. To his surprise and dismay, not long after Nkrumah realized that Africa was getting increasingly divided regionally and in other ideological groupings. Dr. Kwame N'krumah writes in his classic work "Africa must unite" he states "the three basic aims of Ghana's foreign policy are, African independence, African Unity, and the maintenance of world peace through a policy of positive neutrality and non-allignment. The first two aims, according to him were inextricably bound together, since untill Africa was free from foreign domination, the continent could not be completely united. Yet, to him, united action was essential if the Africans were to achieve full independence. That was Nkrumah the visionary. Kwame Nkrumah of Ghana had an exaggerated view of the communal system. He said, “Africa’s traditional communalism is the natural ancestor of modern socialism. The traditional face of Africa was a socialist- egalitarian view of man and society; there was no sectional interest but only the welfare of the people. Colonialism changed all this.” According to Nkrumah, “colonialism infected the African society with capitalist ideals through its economic, political and social activities.” He believed that “the capitalist system is guided by the profit motive; and as a result, it is an exploitative system.” Nkrumah, failed to examine whether African communal values are compatible with modernization imperatives. For instance, emphasizing group interest, African communalism discourages individual initiative and wealth creation. Nkrumah viewed profit as a form of exploitation. But market economists outline profit just as a kind of income, earned by the capitalist for taking risk and investing in newer production techniques to increase society’s total output. In fact, the more he tried on unity the more it became nearly impossible for him to see light of his nirvana in African Unity on account of the fact that Africa the division was getting deeper. At the same time, with economic factors and the clash of ambitions and intrigues within Ghana itself worked against him; his popularity sank at home. Despite being rich in mineral resources, and endowed with a good education system and efficient civil service, Ghana fell victim to corruption and mismanagement soon after independence in 1957. Mr. Kwame Nkrumah was the leader of Ghana and it's predecessor state the Gold coast commencing from 1952 to January, 1966, his sincere support for the establishment of the Organization of African Unity (OAU), who he was actively engaged in it’s formation deposed while he was on a state visit to North Vietnam and China had founded the ruling-Convention Peoples Party (CPP) in early 1949 and it went on to dominate Ghana's politics until the end of his government. Ghana’s first president and pan- African hero, Kwame Nkrumah, was deposed in a coup, heralding years of mostly-military rule: is one of the most respected leaders in Africa, he has been an exemplary leader to both the old and the young, and also perhaps best known politically for his strong commitment, dedication, patriotism and promotion of Pan-Africanism, he read, lectured, wrote number of books & speeches. He lived in exile as guest of President Ahmed Sekou-Toure in Conakry, Guinea, after the Ghana military overthrown him. He has made a remarkable achievements during his tenure as president, education was revolutionised and schools, colleges and vocational institutions shot-up, Ghana was only second in the world in per-capita expenditure on education. The infrastructure of economic development, transportation, communication facilities, hospitals, rural health centres, and the training of personnel in various fields, lifted Ghana to the heights. People had a unique sense of belonging and participation in the affairs of the country. Education expanded the empire of human reason and helped the Convention People's Party (CPP) to broaden political orientation, those were investments which will continue to yield positive dividends among Ghanaians. The mono-crop (Cocoa) remained Ghana's life-blood, it provides over 70% Ghana's foreign exchange earnings. The result was that in 1965, the last year of N'krumah and the Convention People's Party (CPP) administration, the production of Cocoa reached at about 494, 000 tons, it's more than double that existing when the CPP government took over from the colonial administration. So that, with massive industralisation under Kwame N'krumah, and the Accra Tema-harbour as the gate-way of Ghana to further industralisation, the stage was set for an economic take-off. The whole criticism against his administration reduced to a figment of imagination in order to tarnish the reputation of Kwame N'krumah, but that hurt Ghana more, and the rehabilitation of his image which is taking place in present Ghana today is the only option. For Kwame N'krumah, Ghana was a vortex, and the African Unity was his diamond of hope, a means to defuse the abject poverty which has rendered Africa virtually impotent. To Kwame N'krumah, the answer of pan-Africanism a mission of hope, an aspect of his concept of unity was that pan-Africa would be a sort of mutual insurance, economically speaking, for the different regions of Africa, they would practically be guaranteed against total collapse, and that insurance would enable them to rationalise their agriculture. The fight to bring about the unification of the continent, his firm stand on the Congo crisis, and on Rhodesia, and the cry for the establishment of an African High command, were a natural sequence of his African policy. Among the unique institutional changes which he made were, the African affairs centre and the Bureau of African affairs, which gave guidance to almost all the leaders of the African freedom fighters, his battle cry was "Africa must unite" but that came under fire. Criticism of pan-Africanism was based on fears, imagined fantasised or fabricated, that the African unity would put unlimited power in the hands of one man, and the assumption was that such a person would be operating in some underground monastic cellar impenetrable by light. African Liberation Day was founded in 1958 when Kwame Nkrumah convened the First Conference of Independent States. He gave one of the greatest speeches of his life on 24th May 1963 when 32 independent African countries met in Addis Ababa to find ways to unite the continent. FACTS ABOUT KWAME NKRUMAH Interesting Facts You May Not Have Known About Kwame Nkrumah Kwame Nkrumah was born on Sept. 21, 1909, in Nkroful, Gold Coast (Ghana). He received his education from Catholic missionaries and later trained as a teacher. Later on, he taught elementary schools in town. Decades after his death in 1972, Nkrumah remained a symbol of the movement for African independence in the 1950s and 1960s. He became exposed to the Pan-African ideas of political activist W.E.B. Du Bois and Jamaican Black Nationalist leader Marcus Garvey. Nkrumah enrolled at Lincoln University in Pennsylvania. He earned a B.A. degree in 1939 and a Master of Science in education in 1942. In the United States, Nkrumah became active in politics and race relations. During the 1930s and 40s, his leadership skills started to emerge when he joined a group of African students to create the National African Students Association, which he was elected president. He published his philosophical ideas in a pamphlet called Towards Colonial Freedom. Nkrumah preached to Presbyterian Black churches in New York and Philadelphia during the 1940s. His association with radical idealism attracted the attention of the FBI and was targeted by the FBI’s Counter Intelligence Program. Nkrumah returned to Ghana in 1947 and became secretary general of the United Gold Coast Convention aimed at ending British rule. He founded the Convention People’s Party in 1949, the first Black political party in Africa. Nkrumah returned to Ghana in 1947 and became secretary general of the United Gold Coast Convention aimed at ending British rule. He founded the Convention People’s Party in 1949, the first Black political party in Africa. On March 6, 1957, the Gold Coast or Ghana became the first African colony to be independent of British rule. Ghana’s independence inspired the rest of the continent to follow suit. By the mid-1960s, over 30 African countries were independent. He led a massive surge of socio-economic development in Ghana. Infrastructure improved across the country. Also, dams, hospitals, schools and universities were built. In 2000, he was voted Africa’s Man of the Millennium by BBC World Service listeners. Over his lifetime, Nkrumah was awarded honorary doctorates from Lincoln University, Moscow State University, Cairo University, Jagiellonian University in Poland, Humboldt University, and many others. Nkrumah wrote over 20 books. One of his most prominent books is I Speak of Freedom (1961). An excerpt of the book explains his thinking: "Divided we are weak; united, Africa could become one of the greatest forces for good in the world. I believe strongly and sincerely that with the deep-rooted wisdom and dignity, the innate respect for human lives, the intense humanity that is our heritage, the African race, united under one federal government, will emerge not as just another world bloc to flaunt its wealth and strength, but as a Great Power whose greatness is indestructible because it is built not on fear, envy and suspicion, nor won at the expense of others, but founded on hope, trust, friendship and directed to the good of all mankind.” Quotes from Kwame Nkrumah By Arthur Chatora on September 21, 2015 Today, 106 years ago, an African theoretitan was born. The first President and Prime Minister of Ghana, Kwame Nkrumah, who led Ghana to independence A Pan-Africanism proponent, Nkrumah is undoubtedly one of Africa’s foremost freedom fighters, nationalist, writer and thinker who was to influence a generation of Pan-African nationalists and freedom fighters. Also a founding member of the Organisation of African Unity. We pay homage to him by remembering the words he left us with in his quest to see the liberation, unification and development of Africa. 1. “I am not African because I was born in Africa but because Africa was born in me”. 2. “We face neither East nor West; We face forward”. – Conference speech delivered in Accra, 1960 3. “Africa is a paradox which illustrates and highlights neo-colonialism. Her earth is rich, yet the products that come from above and below the soil continue to enrich, not Africans predominantly, but groups and individuals who operate to Africa’s impoverishment”. – Neo- Colonialism: the Last Stage of Imperialism, 1965. 4. “The forces that unite us are intrinsic and greater than the superimposed influences that keep us apart.” – Africa Must Unite, 1963. 5. “We must unite now or perish”.- Speech given at the founding of the OAU, Addis Ababa, 24 May 1963. 6. “Independence is only the prelude to a new and more involved struggle for the right to conduct our own economic and social affairs”. – From a speech given at the founding of the OAU, Addis Ababa, 24 May 1963. 7. “I am in the knowledge that death can never extinguish the torch which I have lit in Ghana and Africa. Long after I am dead and gone, the light will continue to burn and be borne aloft, giving light and guidance to all people.” Epitaph on Nkrumah’s mausoleum in Nkroful, the village of his birth in southern Ghana. 8. “Any meaningful humanism must begin from egalitarianism and must lead to objectively chosen policies for safeguarding and sustaining egalitarianism”. – African Socialism Revisited, 1962. 9. “We were still regarded as representing the infancy of mankind. Our highly sophisticated culture was said to be simple and paralyzed by inertia, and we had to be encumbered with tutelage”. – Speech Inaugurating the Institute of African Studies, University of Ghana Legon,1962. 10. “The people of Africa are Crying For Unity, Africa is one continent, one people, and one nation”. – Class Struggle in Africa, 1970. Dr. Kwame Nkrumah was focused mainly on building a socialist state, his sympathies lay with the East. The Vietnam war at the time, which deteriorated the relationship b/n the ex-USSR on the one hand and the US and it's allies on the other, a peace mission under the commonwealth of nations was announced in 1965 with premier Harold Wilson of Britain as chairman of the mission and Mr. Kwame N'Krumah as a member of mission. But then the north Vietnamese leader, the late Ho Chi Minh refused to accept the peace mission as a whole, but he separately invited Mr. Kwame N'krumah, as member of the announced commonwealth peace mission, contributed enormously to the north Vietnamese eventually agreeing to the Paris peace-talks which partially ended the Vietnam war in 1975. Then Menen Williams, then US assistant secretary of state for African affairs, visited Accra, and it became necessary for Kwame N'krumah to visit, ex-Peoples Republic of China and the ex-North Vietnam and that was the end of his government, it was well understood that the removal had been endorsed by the western nation at the time. During his tenure, he survived several assassination plots and coup-attempts unharmed. And the coup of January, 1966 which removed Dr. Kwame Nkrumah from office while he was under official visits to ex-Peoples Republic of China and the ex-North Vietnam was organized by the Ghanaian military had it the knowledge of US and British governments. The coup was thought two years in the works since February 1964 and finally succeeded in 24th January 1966, The CPP was officially banned right after the coup, the ill-fated president, then never returned to Ghana, he had to self-exile in Conakry, Guinea, as the guest of president Ahmed Sekou-Toure, who honoured Nkrumah co-president of Guinea. In failing health, he flew for further medical treatment to Bucharest, Romania in August 1971, and he died of skin cancer in April 1972 at the age of 62. The coup organized by the Ghanaian under the regime of the National Lieration Council (NLC) was endorsed by western intelligence agencies, installed Lt. General Joseph Arthur Ankrah on the day of 24th February, 1966. He served as the first Commander in-chief of the Ghanaian Army and from 24th January, 1966 to 2nd April, 1969 as the second head of state of Ghana, he died in natural sickness on 25th November, 1992, aged 77. In 2nd April, 1969, Brigadier Akwasi Amankwaa Afrifa made a coup against the sitting head of state, he was chairman of the military presidential commission, and leader of the military government existed from 2nd April, 1969 to the 7th of August, 1970, but he was executed together with two other former Ghanaian heads of state in June, 1979. In 31st August, 1970 Mr. Edward Akuffo-Addo, a politician and a lawyer, believed he was one of the top-six veteran politicians in Ghana in the fight for Ghana's independence, became the chief of justice and later to become president of Ghana between the 31 August, 1970 to 13 January, 1972 that culminated Ghana to multi-party democracy resulted in free election to a civilian primeminister Dr. Kofi Abrefa Busia from 1st October, 1969 to 13th January, 1972. On 13th January, 1972, Colonel Ignatious Kutu Acheampong led a coup d'etat to overthrow the democratically elected government of the Progress Party and it's leader, Dr. Kofi Abrefa Busia to head the military government as chairman of the military ruling-National Redemption Council (NRC), which it was later transformed into the Ghana Supreme Military Council on the 9th of October, 1975 with Colonel Ignatius Acheampong himself (promoted to General) as it's chairman. The official wife of the late ex-president Nkrumah Samia Rizk, an Egyptian origin who had left Ghana with her kids after the 1966 coup, back with her family again in 1975 at the invitation of the head of State Colonel Ignatius Kutu Acheampong. He was ruled Ghana for further, from 13th January, 1972 to 5th July, 1978, when he was deposed in a palace coup. He was later to be executed by a firing squad. On the 5th of July, 1978, Lt. General Frederick William Kwasi Akuffo, a former chief of the general defence staff of the Ghanaian Armed Forces became the head of state and chairman of the ruling-Supreme Military Council (SMC) in Ghana from 5th July, 1978 until 1979, he came to power by ousting his predecessor in a military coup, he was overthrown by a military coup led by Flt. Lieutenant Jerry Rawlings again, and three weeks later executed. Ghana endured a long serious of coups before Flight Lt. Jerry Rawlings tookover power in 1981 ousting military dictator Colonel Ignatius Acheampong, banned all political parties, suspended the constitution. The election and a transfer of power to civilian rule was made that year was won by Dr. Hilla Limann of the Peoples National Party (PNP). Flight Lieutenant Jerry Rawlings staged his second coup’ However, on 31st December, 1981 Flt. Lt. Jerry Rawlings overthrew Dr. hilla Limann's elected government once again, citing economic mis- management. Flight Lt. Jerry Rawlings then reinstalled the Provisional National Defence Council (PNDC) government with himself again as chairman. The country began to move towards economic stability and democracy. In April 1992 a constitution allowing for a multi-party system was approved in a referendum, ushering in a period of democracy. Flight Lt. Jerry Rawlings won presidential elections of 1992 and 1996 but constitutionally prevented from running for third term in 2000. Mr. John Ageiekum Kufuor succeeded him as main opposition leader and was re- elected in 2004. A well-administered country by regional standards, Ghana is often seen as a model for political and economic reform in Africa. In December, 2008, it was declared that, Mr. John Evans Atta Mills of the opposition, Ghana's next president since the country is one of the few in Africa to successfully transfer power twice from one legitimately elected leader to another, proof that Ghana's democracy has truely matured after an era of coups and dictatorships in the 1970's and 1980's. The Nkrumahist Convention Peoples Party which it was banned after the 1966 coup, resurfaced in another name, Peoples National Party (PNP) won that year's elections that put Dr. Hilla Liman as candidate. After he announced retirement from the Ghanaian Armed Forces, he formally launches the National Democratic Congress Party (NDCP). Major conflict Internal conflicts in Ghana's northern region When: 1992/1994 and recurs Who: Traditional Dagomba kingdom versus Konkomba Why: Stalemates regarding political decisions Outcome: Several thousands dead, several people migrate The National Democratic Congress Party (NDCP), the up-coming election with Jerry Rawlings as it's candidate won 58.3 % of the vote in the 1992 national elections despite electoral complaints. In 1996, Jerry Rawlings won the general elections by 57 % of the vote, elections were judged largely free and fair. After two terms in office, he barred by the existing constitution from standing in any election, he then endorsed his vice president John Evans Atta Mills as NDC presidential candidate in 2000. The National Democratic Congress (NDC) with John Atta Mills as candidate, however, lost the elections to the National Peoples Party (NPP) candidate, John Agyekum Kufuor, once again, elections were judged to be free and fair. Fourty five years after his overthrow, somehow, Dr. Kwame N'krumah has been proved right in the Ghanaian political scene, his rehabilitation has gone full circle, he was voted one of the greatest Africans of the 20th century, and one of hundred greatest Africans of all time. Ghana's government under president John Agyekum Kufuor made a national reburial ceremony to reammend the late president's Mussoleum in Accra. President John Evans Atta Mills since coming to power, has radically put the late president to officially back him on the agenda, and of course to officially declare him as the "Founder of the Nation" and proclaiming his birthday 19th of September to become a national holiday, to be observed every year. In 2009, his centenary celebrations were adopted by the African Union Commission, as a continental event. Civil society has flourished. The Electoral Commission of Ghana is one of the most respected institutions. The Electoral Commission has remained under the same Chair, Dr Kwadwo Afari-Gyan, since formation in 1993. National Reconciliation Commission (NRC) was established to review alleged human rights abuses during the Jerry Rawlings era. Consolidation of the democratic gains by country continues after election of new president. Media and academia publish seriously and freely on governance. Economy Ghana’s economy is heavily reliant on agriculture (35% of the total GDP). Gold and cocoa production, and individual remittances, are major sources of foreign exchange. Sound macro-economic management along with high prices for gold and cocoa helped sustain GDP growth in 2008. Ghana heavily dependent on international financial and technical assistance. In 2002, Ghana opted for debt relief under the Heavily Indebted Poor Country (HIPC) programme. Later in 2006, Ghana went for Multilateral Debt Relief Initiative Social Unemployment – in 2008, it stood at 20% and has been going up Struggle to accommodate refugees running away from Cote d’Ivoire Housing workers returning from cocoa plantations. Updates: For Ghana, 2011 believed should be a very good year, for one known reason, on the 15th of December, 2010, the country produced it's "first barrels" of cruide oil in commercial quantities from it's "Jubille Oil Field", about fourty miles off-shore. Ghana is now turned an oil-producing nation following Tullow Oil's discovery of the Jubilee Field in 2007. In the words of the operating company, the UK based Tullow Oil, the Jubilee Oil Field, is a world class Oil field with estimated recoverable resources of up to one billion barrels. The first phase of production has a target of 370 million barrels. Full production will fetch Ghana 120,000 barrels a day (bpd), but in the immidiate future, the field will be capable of producing up to 55,000 bpd. The important thing, though, is that the Oil from the Jubilee Field is known in the oil trade as "light sweet crude" with "an API of 37 degrees". It's of high quality and in great demand. Ghana will spend a lot of time in 2011 on what the revenue from the Oil should be spent on, and what steps should be taken to prevent the country from going the way of the other bad producers of Oil in Africa. The UK based Tullow Oil is optimistic, though, it says phase one can be the catalyst for developing Ghanaian capacity in Oil & Gas exploration and production attracting further foreign investment and thereby diversifying the economy: and also helping local businesses and suppliers to develop the in-country services that Oil companies and their partners will require. More than 85% of Tullow Ghana's employees are Ghanaians and the Company's target is to increase the number to 90% in the next four years. 2011 will see the intensification of these efforts, both on the part of the government and oil companies. The Government of Ghana has studied the records of both the good and the bad producers of Oil in the world, and it is hoped Ghana will emulate the best practices in the industry, such as the example offered by Norway. President John Atta Mills won recently an emphatic victory over Mrs. Nana Konadu Agyeman Rawlings 97% to a 3% beating in the presidential primaries of Ghana's ruling-National Democratic Congress (NDC). It was the first time in Ghanaian political history ever that a sitting president was being challenged by a member of his own political-party who intended to stop him from getting a second term in office. To betterly put, it was the first a Ghanaian president was being deliberately prevented from going for a second term by the wife of the founder of his own party. "Winning is not the end of the road, what we are in the politics for is to raise the living standard of the people", president John Evans Atta Mills quoted as saying, when he launches election campaign for a second term. Updates: All charges have been dropped against Ghana's former first lady Nana Konadu Rawlings, her lawyer has told the BBC. She was charged in 2005 with theft, fraud and conspiracy to defraud the state during the 1990s when her husband Jerry Rawlings was president. Her attorney said the case had been dropped on the orders of John Kufuor, who stood down as president last week. He handed over to John Atta Mills, once Mr Rawlings' deputy, after his party's candidate lost the December elections. Leaders of the National Democratic Congress, now in power, had dubbed this case - and another against the former chief of Ghana's National Petroleum Company - as politically motivated "witch hunts". Tsatu Tsikata, who received a five-year prison term in 2008 for causing financial loss to the state, was also pardoned by Mr Kufuor last week. The BBC's David Amanor in the capital, Accra, says it is unclear why the cases have been dismissed. Mr Kufuor's supporters say it is a mark of his generous spirit; his detractors say that with his New Patriotic Party out of government, the former president is attempting to head off recriminations. 'Dragged through mud' Mr Tsikata has vowed to ignore the pardon and carry on fighting for acquittal in the courts. Mrs Rawlings' lawyer expressed dismay at the handling of the case which will be formally discontinued by Ghana's High Court on Thursday. "Her name has been dragged through the mud for three years," Tony Lithur told the BBC's Focus on Africa programme. "The case has damaged Mrs Rawlings' international reputation and had no basis in the first place," he said. Mrs Rawlings and four others were accused of misappropriating public funds and property during the late 1990s while organising the sale of a publicly owned canning factory in Ghana's Eastern region. The defendants had all pleaded not guilty. Mr Rawlings first came to power in a coup in 1979, and in 1981 again seized power from his democratically elected successor. He won democratic elections in 1992 and 1996 but stood down at the 2000 election, when his chosen successor, Mr Atta Mills, was defeated by Mr Kufuor. Source: BBC News Africa January 13, 2012 Updates: Booming construction, a burgeoning middle class, gleaming shopping malls’ Ghana’s oil driven economic expansion is transforming the country, but uneven development also means many are being outpaced and slipping further into poverty, says the UN. The economic boom, especially in Accra [the capital], is obvious, but inequalities are widening as all the prices have gone up’, Eugenie Maiga of the African Centre for Economic Transformation, a policy think-tank, told the UN news agency IRIN. The economy grew by 14 per-cent in 2011, one of the fastest rates in Africa, and much of southern Ghana has prospered. ’The northern part of the country has clearly benefited less from the growing economy in the past 10 years than the central and southern parts,' Maiga noted. 'Even if rural poverty declined, the land in the north is not as fertile as in the south… the difference between the quality of houses in the north and the south of the country is obvious see.’ Since 2000, the economy has recorded an average growth of 5 per cent per-annum, but it shot up in 2010 when oil production began. Per-capita income has more than tripled in from $400 in 2000 and is likely to reach $1,400 in 2012, said Samir Gadio, a West Africa analyst at Standard Chartered Bank. Boosted by oil, Cocoa and Gold revenues, Ghana has initiated economic reforms to spur growth and in 2011 became a middle income country, the ninth in Africa to attain this status. Significant off-shore oil reserves were discovered in 2007. The proportion of people living in driven poverty dropped from 51 per cent in 1992 to 30 per cent in 2006, according to the UN, which noted that Ghana was the first country in the region to meet the Millenium Development Goal (MDG) of halving poverty by 2015. However, a similar rate of growth has eluded the northern provinces, where there are fewer roads and less infrastructure, poorer housing and not nearly as many modern businesses as in the south. Inequality is also widening in Accra, where many people from the countryside come in search of jobs, but development in the capital has pushed up the cost of living and many fall further into poverty, said Maiga. Rental prices in the capital are becoming prohibitive. 'Most [landlords] are now asking tenants to pay their rent for one of even two years in advance,’ said Maiga. Inflation has been climbing for 14 months, weakening the currency and eroding purchasing power, while increased demand for imports drives up the prices. The cost of food and rent has gone up across the country. ‘This is negatively affecting access to food in the north, where the proportion of food-insecure people is the highest in the country’, the UN Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) said in a March 2012 report. Roads have improved in the capital but power cuts and a steady water supply are still a problem. Sanitation services in the capital and rural areas are equally poor. Updates: January 28, 2012: Two significant yet related events were about to take place in the Ethiopian capital, Addis Ababa. The Chinese Vice President, Xi Jinping handed over the keys to the new gleaming headquarters building of the African Union (AU). And an AU assembled presidents and dignitaries witnessed the unveiling of a new bronze statue of former Ghanaian president Dr. Kwame N'krumah at the new African Union headquarters in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Despite the moment being heavy with significance, they were received in a simple, almost subdued manner by the current AU chairman, President Theodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo of Equatorial Guinea, and the chairperson of the African Union Commission, Dr. Jean Ping. The ceremony was barely over when the motely crowd of presidents with security details in tow. Amid drumming and dancing by cultural troops from Equatorial Guinea, Ethiopia and Nigeria, Ghana's then president, professor John Atta Mills, assisted by Jean Ping and President Theodoro Obiang Nguema, in a hushed expectancy, unveiled a new bronze statue of Kwame N'krumah in the company of professor Francis N'krumah and Samia N'krumah (MP) both children of the late Dr. Kwame N'krumah as well as several heads of state and former president Jerry Rawlings, the bronze statue of Dr. N'krumah was revealed, standing tall, complete with his trade mark smock, walking-stick, hand raised and outstretched, in the same manner as he had, on 6th March, 1957, declaring the independence of Ghana meaningless unless it was linked up with the total liberation of Africa. Underneath, cast in golden letters on black marble, were the historic last words of N'krumah's famous speech given at the founding of the Organization of African Unity (OAU) in Addis Ababa on 24th of May, 1963: "Ethiopia shall stretch forth her hands unto God, Africa must unite". The significance of such event suddenly dawned on all present. The very statue that had been angrily knocked down by Ghanaians themselves in blind fury after N'krumah's overthrow, had been restored, only this time round, on a much bigger continental stage - at the headquarters of the African Union. Updates: Ghanaian officials swore in a new president’ Hours after the death of the West African nation's leader. John Evans Atta Mills died suddenly at a military hospital Tuesday afternoon a few hours after becoming ill, Chief of Staff John Henry Martey Newman said in a statement. He was 68. In a ceremony broadcast on state television, John Dramani Mahama - formerly Ghana's vice president -- became the country's new president and ordered that flags be flown at half-staff for a week. "This is the saddest day in our nation's history. Tears have engulfed our nation and we're deeply saddened and distraught. I never imagined that one day I will address our nation in such difficult circumstances” ,Mahama said. "I'm personally devastated. I've lost a father, I've lost a friend, I've lost a mentor and a senior comrade." Officials did not specify what caused Mills' death. The president had denied rumors about his health for months. "Does my continued living pose a threat to some people?" he told reporters at a January event, according to the state-run Ghana News Agency. On June 25, he returned from a medical checkup in the United States, the news agency reported. Mills was a former law professor and a tax expert. He was Ghana's vice president from 1997 to 2000. Before his political career, he taught at the University of Ghana and also was a visiting lecturer at Temple University in Pennsylvania and Leiden University in the Netherlands. Mills ran for president unsuccessfully in 2000 and 2004 before narrowly winning a runoff in 2009. John Atta Mills' death came several days after he celebrated his 68th birthday. He had said he would run for re-election in December.In a statement read on his behalf by Ghana's information minister Monday, Mills said his government had focused on developing the nation's economy, according to the Ghana News Agency."We made a promise to expand our country's infrastructural base in support of our economy take-off," the statement said. "We also decided to invest in the people of our country so as to make them competitive both locally and abroad." Mahama said that Mills was a "prince of peace" who "brought a distinctive insight into Ghanaian politics." The opposition New Patriotic Party expressed condolences in a statement. "We join the nation in mourning this sad loss to Ghana," the statement said. U.S. President Barack Obama met with Mills when he visited Ghana in July 2009. Obama praised the country as a model for democracy and stability when Mills visited Washington this year. "Ghana has become a wonderful success story economically on the continent," Obama said. "In part because of the initiatives of President Mills, you've seen high growth rates over the last several years. Food productivity and food security is up. There's been strong foreign investment." In a statement, British Prime Minister David Cameron described Mills as "a tireless defender of democracy in West Africa and across the continent." Part of a former British colony, Ghana was among the first African countries to gain independence, in 1957. It endured a series of coups before a military dictator, Jerry Rawlings, took power in 1981. Rawlings led Ghana through a transition to democracy about 10 years later. Mahama, 53, is a former member of Ghana's parliament who has served as director of communication for the National Democratic Congress party. The new president called on Ghanaians to respect John Atta Mills' legacy. "Our finest tribute to him at this moment is to maintain the unity and stability of our nation," Mahama said. Obama hailed Ghana as 'model for democracy'. Meantime, Ghana gets a new VP' Ghana has chalked another milestone in its democratic dispensation, as new President John Mahama's nominee for vice president was vetted by law makers and after approval was sworn-in by the chief justice. Kwesi Bekoe Amissah-Arthur, governor of the central bank and an economist, was sworn-in as vice president late Monday evening in accordance with Article 60 (10) of the 1992 Constitution of Ghana. Law makers in parliament unanimously approved his nomination after posing questions ranging from macro-economic issues, such as the depreciation of the cedi, the country's single digit inflation against rising prices and his political clout. In a brief statement, the new vice president expressed appreciation to President Mahama for his nomination, adding, "I thank the house (parliament) for doing something unprecedented in the history of Ghana. The show of unanimity and unity by parliament as a result of the sad event that occurred is commendable". He later called on Ghanaians "and the many people across the countries, who have sent messages of goodwill" adding that, "I hope I would continue to receive your prayers". The swearing in of the vice president follows the death of President John Evans Atta Mills on last month and the ascension of Mahama, who was the deputy then. Amissah-Arthur is an economist and served in former President Jerry Rawlings' government as a Deputy Finance Minister. He served as governor of the central bank in the Mills administration, where the late president chose Amissah-Arthur because of his role in managing Ghana's structural adjustment programme, which turned the country's economic fortunes around in the 1980s. Mills' state funeral will take place in Accra, the capital, from Wednesday 8 to 10 August. Several world leaders including the United States Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and Liberian President. Ellen Johnson Sirleaf are expected to attend the funeral. The 68-year old late president, the first Ghanaian leader to die in office, will be laid to rest at a special designated place near the seat of government. Mills had been the Presidential candidate for the ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC) in the next elections, slated for December, with political analysts predicting a tight contest. He would have contested against Nana Addo Dankwah Akufo-Addo, the candidate for largest opposition party, New Patriotic Party (NPP). Former Vice-President John Dramani Mahama, who has been sworn in as the president of Ghana following the death assumed on 7th January, 2009 , remaining in the post until Mr. Atta Mills' death is regarded as a champion of the underprivileged. Updates: African Union (AU) current chairman, Dr. Yayi Boni of Benin described the death of Ghanaian President John Atta Mills as "a great, great, great loss" for Africa, ahead of a state funeral, that was underway in the capital Accra. Dr. Boni was speaking ahead of the late Mills' funeral in Accra. The AU president, who leads Benin, urged Ghanaians to keep alive the unity and vision that late Mills had bequeathed the country. He recalled his last visit to Mills six months ago to discuss the crisis in Mali, during which they also exchanged ideas on the future of Africa. Dr. Yayi Boni said he also found in John Atta Mills, the same vision as the first President of Ghana, Dr. Kwame Nkrumah, for the country. "It was a great, great loss for the country, for the continent and Benin". Other African leaders who also paid their last respects early morning are Guinean president, Alpha Conde, Sierra Leone's Ernest Bai Koroma, Senegal's Macky Sall, Faure Gnassingbe of Togo, Alassane Drammane Ouattara of Cote D' Ivoire. Other dignitaries are Dr. Mustapha Osman Secretary to the President of Sudan, Mr. Yamina Bengnigni, the French Minister for Francophonie, and Mr Themba Masuka, Swaziland Deputy Prime Minister. Cardinal Peter Appiah Turkson, President of the Pontifical Commission for Justice and Peace representing Pope Benedict XVI was also there to pay respect. Also in the country are Hifikepunye Pohamba, President of Namibia, Mohamed Abdelaziz, President of the Saharawi Arab Democratic Republic (SADR), President Jakaya Kikwete of Tanzania and President of Gabon, Ali Ben Bongo. The rest are Presidents Ellen Johnson Sirleaf of Liberia, Goodluck Jonathan of Nigeria and Mr. Kadre Quedraogo, President of the ECOWAS Commission. Late President John Atta Mills passed away on July 24th, 2012 after a sort illness in Accra. Mills will be laid to rest at a specially laid to rest at a specially designated place, which will later be developed into a Presidential Place of Rest. Updates: Tens of thousands of people in the Ghanaian capital Accra have attended the state funeral for President John Atta Mills on 10th August, 2012 who died suddenly in July. Some 18 African heads of state and US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton witnessed the ceremony in Accra's Independence Square. Mills, who had long suffered from throat cancer, died only five months before he was set to seek re-election. A BBC reporter in Accra says his death has united Ghanaians in grief. She says his death was seen as a test for the country's young democracy. Mills, who started a four-year term in January 2009, was succeeded by Vice- President John Dramani Mahama. Ghana has won international plaudits for the swift manner in which it handled the transition in a nation known for its divisive politics. Born in western Ghana on 21 July 1944 Lawyer by profession Lectured in law for more than 20 years Vice-president from 1997 to 2001 Became president in 2009 Married to a marriage counselor What to know more about Ghana: Men and women in Ghana are named according to the day they were born. Sunday born females Akosua while for males Akwasi , Monday born females Adwoa while for males Kwadwo, Tuesday born females Abena while for males Kwabena, Wednsday born females Akua while for males Kwaku, Thursday born females Yaa while for males Yaw, Friday born females Afua while for males Kofi, Saturday born females Ama while for males Kwame What to see: Fantasy coffins- among the Ga people, coffins made to depict the profession of the dead. The Kakum Nature Reserve. Larabanga Mosque- believed to be god built. Witches' settlements where people believed to practise witchcraft were buried. Updates: Ghana’s President John Mahama seeks serious debates' Against a backdrop of angry political rhetoric, President Mahama insists that the state must ensure election security, help to improve agricultural production and develop institutions with the authority to investigate corruption. Pedalling furiously and revelling in the thrill, a youthful John Mahama piloted a bicycle without brakes down a hill towards a busy traffic junction in Accra in the 1960s. It was only when his companions screamed "Dramani, slow down," Mahama recalls in his just published memoir, that he made the split-second decision to turn the bike at speed into a side street. He flew over the handlebars and landed in a hedge but escaped with a few cuts and bruises. Mahama laughed when I suggested that a political career could be likened to riding a bicycle downhill without brakes. Making split-second decisions does not trouble him, he assured me. Yet Mahama comes across as a considered politician with clear goals for the government of which he took charge on 24 July. Forty days later, in a speech at Accra's conference centre, he set out an ambitious programme. Although he speaks solemnly about building on the legacy of tolerance and social reform left by his predecessor John Atta Mills, Mahama has quickly established his own agenda. Conscious of criticism that his National Democratic Congress (NDC) is anti-business, Mahama insists that the private sector would lead Ghana's transition to a fully fledged middle-income country.Last year the World Bank said Ghana's recalibrated national income meant it had graduated from a least developed country (LDC) to lower middle-income status. Mahama will chair the newly launched Private Sector Advisory Council and has pledged it will respond speedily to complaints from business of bureaucratic obstacles. He has also set up a unit in the presidency to monitor public- service delivery. He has called on civil society groups to work with government to propose ways to improve services. "Make no mistake – the way we do business in government must change," Mahama told Ghanaians in his 4 September speech, which set out a busy schedule ahead of elections on 7 December. The campaign is intensifying with clear differences emerging between Mahama's platform and the policies of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) and its presidential candidate, Nana Akufo- Addo. Alongside his business initiatives, Mahama explains that he still wants a strong developmental role for the state. That is anathema to Akufo-Addo and the NPP. On the NPP's flagship policy calling for free secondary education for all, Mahama questions the party's figures and the practicality of its immediate implementation. Between Mahama's practised conciliatory posture and Akufo-Addo's skills as a seasoned courtroom advocate, the campaign offers Ghanaians a choice of political style as well as policy substance. Much will depend on the campaigns. The most reliable statistic to emerge from local opinion surveys is that about 25% of Ghanaians are yet to decide on which candidate to support in December. The Africa Report: You have said your predecessor President John Atta Mills embodied qualities that Ghana's politics sadly lack – civility, humility, honesty and peace. Q, Do the voters agree with you? John Dramani Mahama: A, Those qualities were why President John Atta Mills was elected. Since he entered politics in 1997, he showed patience, tolerance and openly supported peace. Unfortunately, he was quite vilified in his period in office, but Ghanaians admired the tolerance of not responding to the personal insults thrown at him. Wasn't it crass hypocrisy for people to vilify President Mills and then say he's a great statesman after he died? No, I wouldn't accuse any Ghanaian of being hypocritical. We were united in our grief at the passing of President Mills. Even people who vilified him suddenly... Source: The Africa Report October 1, 2012 Updates: China to construct Ghana's second international airpot' China Airports Construction Corporation (CACC) is set to begin construction of Ghana's second international airport after Kotoka International Airport with the capacity for large aircraft, a government official in the West African country has revealed. CACC, owned by the Chinese government and the only enterprise offering a full range of services in the civil airport construction, signed a memorandum of understanding with Ghana to undertake a feasibility study for the design of the new facility. The airport will be constructed on a 16,000 acre land near Pampram in the Dangbe- East District of the Greater Accra region. Kotoka Airport is also in the same region but in the heart of the capital city. Transport minister Alhaji Collins Dauda said the new airport would address the capacity constraints and anticipated traffic growth at the Kotoka Airport. He did not provide any details on the costs for the project. Ghana is in the process of drafting a new Airport Bill for parliamentary approval that is set to improve the aviation industry. Meanwhile, the Ghana Airports Company Limited will continue its rehabilitation of the Kotoka International Airport under the phase III project. The development is meant to facilitate and enhance passenger movement and experience in the terminal as well as aircraft movement. Regional airports are also going through facelifts to support the growing domestic traffic. Dauda said the Ghana Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA) would collaborate with the World Bank for the review, drafting and development of economic regulations for the authority. He said government had taken initiatives to seek funding from the World Bank and other donor partners for the development of the infrastructure. Source: The Afriica Report 15 October, 2012 Updates: Ghana's Jerry Rawlings 'backs' wife's presidential bid' The wife of Ghana's ex-leader Jerry Rawlings has told the BBC he backs her campaign for December's presidential election. Nana Konadu Rawlings was chosen at the weekend as the presidential candidate of the National Democratic Party (NDP). She defected from the ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC) party, although Mr Rawlings has not done so. She could split the vote of NDC candidate President John Dramani Mahama, correspondents say. The other main challenger in the election is expected to be former Foreign Minister Nana Akufo-Addo, the flagbearer of the New Patriotic Party (NPP). Mr Rawlings - who ruled Ghana for 18 years and launched the NDC in 1992 - attended the newly formed NDP's congress on Saturday. "If he didn't believe in what I was doing, he wouldn't have come... I'm not going in a different direction," Mrs Rawlings told the BBC's Focus on Africa programme. "The family is always in line with the former president's position on probity, accountability and social justice." On October 4, Former President Mr Jerry Rawlings attended an NDC meeting where President Mahama unveiled the party's election manifesto. Mrs Rawlings said her husband had lost authority in the NDC and merely fulfilled his "constitutional responsibility" as founder of the party by attending its events. Some NDC members had used him to rally support during elections and then ditched him, she said. "The NDC was founded on certain values which they [party leaders] have thrown out of the window so the NDP is taking those values to make sure there is transparency in governance," Mrs Rawlings said. She said she was running for president because she was worried about worsening corruption and mismanagement, and wanted to be at the "centre" of government so that she could improve the lives of people. When Mr Rawlings addressed the NDP convention at the weekend, he said the party would "restore hope and the moral values that the country needs to move forward". At the same event, he also praised Mr Mahama, who became president earlier this year following the death of his predecessor, John Atta Mills. "Thank God John Mahama has taken over and agreed that he will restore hope in the NDC… Should he win re-election, then we can join hands again," he said. Our correspondent says NDC leaders are reportedly meeting to discuss Mr Rawlings' presence at the NDP's congress. There is concern that the NDC could be weakened by Mrs Rawlings' decision to fight the election under the new party's banner, he adds. Mrs Rawlings challenged Mr Mills last year in a bid to get the NDC's nomination, but gained only 3.1% of the vote. The BBC correspondent in the capital, Accra, says her comments came amid speculation that her candidature could divide the Rawlings home. Source: BBC News Africa 15 October 2012 October 19, 2012: Ghana's Nana Rawlings 'shocked' at election ban' The wife of Ghana's ex-leader Jerry Rawlings is shocked after being barred from contesting the December election, her spokesman has told the BBC. Nana Konadu Rawlings was chosen last weekend as the presidential candidate of the National Democratic Party (NDP). She defected from the ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC) party, although Mr Rawlings has not done so. The election commission said her nomination papers had not been completed before the deadline. The main challenger to President John Dramani Mahama is expected to be former Foreign Minister Nana Akufo-Addo, from the New Patriotic Party (NPP). Mrs Rawlings' spokesperson Owusu Bempah told the BBC her disqualification was unfair. "We suspect someone deliberately wanted her out of the race," he said. She refused to speak to the media. Electoral commission spokeswoman Sylvia Annor told the AFP news agency that "there were major errors on their forms and they could not meet the deadline to rectify them hence the disqualification." "Portions of the nomination forms were not properly filled by the National Democratic Party," she said. Analysts had said that Mrs Rawlings' candidacy could split the NDC vote. Before his wife's disqualification, there was speculation about which party Mr Rawlings - who ruled Ghana for 18 years and launched the NDC in 1992 - would support. Mrs Rawlings said her husband would support her presidential bid. He had previously attended an NDC meeting where President Mahama unveiled the party's election manifesto. He praised Mr Mahama, who became president earlier this year following the death of his predecessor, John Atta Mills. Mrs Rawlings challenged the late Mr Atta Mills last year in a bid to get the NDC's nomination, but gained only 3.1% of the vote. BBC News Africa After serving six months as an unelected president following the sudden death of of his former boss in July, 2012, John Dramani Mahama has now won an election on his own merits. But the main opposition party has cried foul, saying that some Electoral Commission officials perpetrated a fraud against its presidential candidate. Accession to power of president John Dramani Mahama - by election. Tentative election calendar - Presidential/Parliamentary, December. Ghana – Timeline Diaries updates, and related key notes 1482 - Portuguese set up trading settleme 1874 - British proclaim coastal area a crown colony. 1925 - First legislative council elections take place. March 1957 - Ghana becomes independent with Kwame Nkrumah as prime minister. Kwame Nkrumah - Independence leader was an advocate of Pan- Africanism 1960 - Ghana proclaimed a republic; Kwame Nkrumah elected president. 1964 - Ghana becomes a one-party state. March 1966 – President Kwame Nkrumah N’Krumah was deposed by a military coup led by Brigadier General Ankrah while he was in an official visit to China en-route to Hanoi, then North Vietnamese city; Russian and Chinese technicians expelled. 1969 - New constitution facilitates transfer of power to civilian government led by Kofi Busia. 1972 – Prime minister Koffi Busia ousted in military coup led by Colonel Ignatius Acheampong. 1978 – Colonel Ignatius Acheampong forced to resign; General Frederick Akuffo takes over. 1979 – Lt. General Fred Akuffo deposed in coup led by Flight Lieutenant Jerry Rawlings. Ignatious Acheampong and Fred Akuffo executed. September 1979 – Lt. Jerry Rawlings hands over power to an elected president, Hilla Limann. 1981 – The elected Dr. Hilla Limann ousted in military coup led by Rawlings after two years of weak government and economic stagnation. 1983 – Lt. Jerry Rawlings adopts conservative economic policies, abolishing subsidies and price controls, privatising many state enterprises and devaluing the currency unit, Cedi. 1992 - Referendum approves new constitution introducing a multiparty system. Rawlings elected president. 1994 - One thousand people are killed and a further 150,000 are displaced in the Northern Region following ethnic clashes between the Konkomba and the Nanumba over land ownership. June 1994 - Seven ethnic groups involved in violence in Northern Region sign peace agreement. 1995 - Government imposes curfew in Northern Region as renewed ethnic violence results in a further 100 deaths. 1996 - Jerry Rawlings re-elected president. December 2000 - John Kufuor beats Vice-President John Atta Mills in the presidential election. February 2001 - Petrol prices rise by 60% following the government's decision to remove fuel subsidies. April 2001 - Ghana accepts debt relief under a scheme designed by the World Bank and the IMF. May 2001 - National day of mourning after football stadium stampede leaves 126 dead. Inquiry blames police for overreacting to crowd trouble. June 2001 - Government scraps public holiday celebrating Rawling's military coup in an effort to wipe out the legacy of his rule. June 2001 - Floods hit Accra, causing 10 deaths and forcing 100,000 to flee their homes. April 2002 - State of emergency is declared in the north after a tribal chief and more than 30 others are killed in clan violence. State of emergency is lifted in August 2004. May 2002 - President Kufuor inaugurates reconciliation commission to look into human rights violations during military rule. March 30, 2002: The brutal murder of His Majesty, King Yakubu Andani II of the Dagomba people in Ghana, along with at least 25 other people in riots in northern Ghana during the week of March 24-30, 2002. The King of the Dagomba people is second in presidence among the chiefs of Ghana after the King of the Ashanti. Days of disorder were caused by disputes between various clans of the Dagomba and have caused the President of the Republic of Ghana to declare a state of emergency. Reports originally stated that the king had been beheaded, but a statement released by his brother indicates that the king was shot to death. The palace of the King of the Dagomba has also been burned to the ground. October 2003 - Government approves merger of two gold-mining firms, creating new gold-mining giant. February 2004 - Former President Jerry Rawlings testifies at commission investigating human rights offences during the early years of his rule. October 2004 - Group of current and former military personnel detained on suspicion of planning to destabilise government ahead of elections. December 2004 - Presidential poll: Incumbent John Kufuor wins a second term. April-May 2005 - Thousands of Togolese refugees arrive, fleeing political violence in their home country. April 2006 - A boat capsizes on Lake Volta reservoir; more than 100 passengers are feared drowned. June 2006 - Visiting Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao promises to lend Ghana about $66m to fund development projects. He is on an African tour aimed at opening new export markets for China's booming economy and at securing energy and mineral supplies. March 2007 - Ghana celebrates 50 years of independence from Britain. June 2007 - Major off-shore oil discovery announced. President Kufuor says oil will turn Ghana into an "African tiger". September 2007 - The worst floods for more than 30 years cause widespread devastation, destroying much of the annual harvest. December 2007 - President Kufuor says off-shore oil reserves total 3 billion barrels. December 2008 - John Atta Mills elected president. July 2009 - US President Barack Obama visits. Ghana secures a $600m three-year loan from the International Monetary Fund (IMF). October 2009 - Controversy over sale of national communications network Ghana Telecom, allegedly for less that it was worth. December 2010 - Offshore oil production begins. July 2010 - President John Atta Mills chosen as ruling National Democratic Congress party's candidate for the 2012 presidential election, defeating Nana Konadu Agyemang-Rawlings, wife of former President Jerry Rawlings. October 27, 2010: Ghana: Total Moves Beyond its Stamping Grounds' Ten years after buying out Elf, Total has finally left its stamping grounds in the Arab world to concentrate on Africa, like its erstwhile rival. Since 2008, the biggest share of the French major’s production has been coming from Africa and the company is determined to build up its operations there August 2011 - UK-based oil exploration company Tullow Oil, says it will spend at least $4bn to develop oil fields off the coast of Ghana. October 5, 2011: Ghana: Accra finds downside to an oil miracle' Ten months after the huge Jubilee field went into production, winning Ghana membership in the exclusive club of petroleum-producing countries, actual production is marking time: Tullow Oil hasn’t succeeded in reaching a peak phase on Jubilee and is currently pumping 80,000 bpd instead of the scheduled 120,000. June 2012 - Thousands are displaced by communal violence in the east, sparked by the exhumation of the body of a Muslim cleric. July 2012 - President John Atta Mills dies. John Dramane Mahama becomes interim head of state. September-October 2012 - Ivory Coast closes its borders with Ghana for two weeks after a deadly attack on an army checkpoint blamed on exiled supporters of ousted President Laurent Gbagbo. October 2012 - Ghana becomes embroiled in a row with Argentina after impounding an Argentine naval training vessel on behalf of creditors. A Chinese boy is killed and some 100 Chinese are detained in an operation against illegal gold mining. December 2012 - President John Dramane Mahama wins re-election. February 5, 2013: Ghana: Tullow changes tack on TEN' According to sources at Ghana’s energy ministry, Tullow Oil will very shortly submit a new development plan for the TEN (Tweneboa, Enyenra, Ntome) project. March 19, 2013: Ghana: Accra points finger at Sinopec' Delays in installing gas infrastructure have exasperated Ghana’s government to the point it has accused Sinopec of being the chief villain. For some, the solution lies in importing LNG. April 30, 2013: Ghana: Why TEN is dragging on? A plan to develop the TEN complex (named after Tweneboa, Enyenra and Ntomma), is still under discussion between TEN operator Tullow Oil and Ghana’s Ministry of Energy. May 21, 2013: Ghana: Oil advances undercut by politics' Six months after his election, Ghana’s new president, John Mahama Dramani, hasn’t made the least headway on oil and gas issues. A challenge to his election before the Supreme Court by his leading rival, Nana Akufo-Addo, has held back any important decision, and created a logjam that weighs heavily on the industry. May 30, 2013: Ghana: Tullow lands PoD accord for TEN' Ghana's president, John Mahama Dramana, made brief mention during a meeting of the French employers association MEDEF on May 29 that his government had endorsed Tullow Oil's Program of Development (PoD) for the offshore TEN (Tweneboa, Enyenra, Ntome) oil and gas complex. June 25, 2014: World Cup 2014: Ghana sends $3m cash to players in Brazil’ Ghana's government has sent more than $3m (£1.8m) in cash by plane to Brazil to pay the appearance fees owed to the national team at the World Cup. Deputy Sports Minister Joseph Yamin told Ghanaian radio station Citi FM the players "insisted" on cash payments. He added: "The government had to mobilise the money and a chartered flight to Brazil." Ghana must beat Portugal in their final Group G game on Thursday to have any chance of staying at the World Cup. And even a win would not be enough to put Ghana through to the knockout phase if United States and Germany were to draw their match. Earlier this week, there were rumours the Black Stars could boycott training ahead of the game if their demand for payment was not met. As unrest grew in the Ghana camp, Ghana President John Dramani Mahama personally assured the players they would receive their money. A statement from the Ghana Football Association said: "The government is pre-financing the payment of the Black Stars appearance fees, which will be reimbursed when Fifa's prize money for Ghana's participation in the World Cup is paid." NEWS UPDATES: Ghana Flew $3 Million in Cash to Brazil to Pay Its World Cup Players’ (Polly Mosendz) - Ghana's World Cup team was growing quite frustrated since the tournament began, and not just because they haven't won a game yet. The players had not been paid their appearance fees since the World Cup started. Deputy Sports Minister, Joseph Yamin, said the payment delay occurred because players and officials could not settle on the form of payment, and there were difficulties transporting the payment. You see, the players wanted $3 million in cold, hard cash. The players made it abundantly clear that they preferred cash to electronic wire payments, which is how the government generally sends them money. Yamin tried to reason with the team, explaining that sending $3 million dollars in cash is not only difficult, but also, well... not a very good idea, "but the players are still insisting that they wouldn’t take anything but physical cash." As the players grew agitated, it sparked fears of what they might do if they went unpaid — possibly even refusing to play. Today, Ghana President John Dramani Mahama personally saw to it that players would not walk away from the matches. President Mahama spoke with the players and assured them that the payment was en route. Complying with the demands of their star athletes, Ghana government officials pre-financed the payment in all cash, put it in a plane, and flew it over to Brazil. Just in time for tomorrow's do-or-die match against Portugal. World Cup 2014: Boateng and Muntari expelled by Ghana’ ST News (June 26, 2014) Ghana threw Sulley Muntari and Kevin-Prince Boateng out of its World Cup squad for disciplinary reasons on Thursday, plunging the African team into further chaos ahead of its decisive group- stage match against Portugal. Just a day after seeming to resolve a possible player mutiny over World Cup bonus payments, the Ghana Football Association released two separate statements saying two of the country’s stars had been “suspended … indefinitely from the Black Stars with immediate effect.” Muntari was suspended “in the wake of his unprovoked physical attack on an executive committee member of the GFA and a management member of the Black Stars, Mr. Moses Armah” on Tuesday, one statement read. The other statement said Boateng was dropped from the squad because of “vulgar verbal insults targeted at coach Kwesi Appiah” during a training session this week. “Boateng has since showed no remorse for his actions which has resulted in the decision,” the statement added. Both players have had their World Cup accreditation withdrawn. Ghana, a quarter-finalist in 2010, must beat Portugal in Brasilia on Thursday to stand any chance of reaching the second round from Group G. Muntari was suspended for the match after collecting two yellow cards. Ghana’s World Cup campaign was already in turmoil following a row over appearance-fee payments that squad members had been promised but had not yet received. The country’s cash-strapped federation had been forced to ask FIFA for an advance on the $8 million US prize money it is guaranteed from playing at the World Cup to pay outstanding debts to players. FIFA said Wednesday that Ghana’s request was “under evaluation.” Ghana’s deputy sports minister earlier had said that as much as $3 million in cash was being flown into Brazil from the West African nation to finally pay the bonuses to the unhappy players, averting a possible player strike. World Cup prize money — which ranges in Brazil from $8 million for being knocked out in the group stage to $35 million for winning the title — is normally paid after the tournament. Ghana midfielder Christian Atsu dismissed fears the team would boycott its final group game in Brasilia over the bonus-payment row. “We are not going to say we are not going to play because of the money,” Atsu said. “We love our nation and we are going to play for our nation.” Appiah said Wednesday that he had been having “sleepless nights” this week, and also said he had patched up his differences with Boateng after a training-ground altercation.

COUNTRY FACT FILE Location On west south coast of West Africa. Official title of the state Republic of Ghana Flag description: Three equal horizontal bands of red (top), yellow, and green, with a large black five-pointed star centered in the yellow band; red symbolizes the blood shed for independence, yellow represents the country's mineral wealth, while green stands for its forests and natural wealth; the black star is said to be the lodestar of African freedom. Note: uses the popular Pan-African colors of Ethiopia; similar to the flag of Bolivia, which has a coat of arms centered in the yellow band. Neighbours Cote D' Ivoire on W, Burkinafaso on N, Togo on E. Land boundaries; total 2,094 km. Border countries; Burkinafaso 549 km, Cote D'Ivoire 668 km, Togo 877 km. Local division 10 regions Government type Republic – presidential Legislation chamber Unicameral Parliament Form of State Republic With Constitutionally Guaranteed Multi-party Democracy A unitary multi-party republic with one legislative house. Parliament House with 230 seats, members are elected by direct popular vote to serve for four-year term. President and Vice-President are elected on the same ticket by popular vote for a four-year term. President and Vice- President can run for maximum two four-year terms. Executive branch President, Vice-President, Unicameral Parliament. The president is both the chief of State and head of Government. President elected by popular vote to serve for four-year terms, eligible for a second term. Former Rulers 1957 -1966- Dr. Kwame Nkrumah 1966 - 1970- Brigadier Akwasi Amankwa Afrifa August 7, 1970 – August 31, 1970 Nii Amaa Ollennu, acting President 1970 - 1972 Edward Akufo-Addo 1970 – 1975 Colonel Ignatius Kutu Acheampong 1975 – 1978 Lieutenant-General Frederick Fred William Kwasi Akuffo 1978 - 1979 Flight Lieutenant Jerry John Rawlings 1979 - 1981 Dr. Hilla Limann 1981 – 2001 Flight Lieutenant Jerry John Rawlings 1993 - 2001 Flight Lieutenant Jerry John Rawlings, President 2001 – 2009 John Agyekum Kufuor, President 2009 - present Professor John Evans Atta Mills Judicial chamber Supreme Court Capital city Accra Altitude 61 mtrs/200 ft. Geographic coordinates - 5.33N , 0.13W. Originally built around a port, settled on the 15th century, its name derived from N'kran meaning for "ants" in local Akan, a reference to the numerous anthills seen in the countryside around Accra, founded in 1898. Names of main towns Kumassi, Tamale, Cape-coast, Sekondi-takoradi. Date of Independence 6th March 1957. Religions (Major) Christian 68.8% (Pentecostal/Charismatic 24.1%, Protestant 18.6%, Catholic 15.1%, Muslim 15.9%, others 11%, traditional 8.5%, other 0.7%, none 6.1%. Main spoken languages Asante, Ewe, Fante, Boron (Brong), Dagomba, Dangme, Dagarte (Dagaba), Akyem, Akuapem, widely spoken including English (official) are major languages. Currency unit Ghana Cedi (GHC) =100 Pesewas. Area in Km2 238,533.00 Country area comparison in Africa 34 out of 55 states. Demographic terms ;- Average annual population growth rate 1.855 % Birth rate 28.9 births per 1,000 population Death rate 8.93 deaths per 1,000 population Average life expectancy ; 60.55 years Male 59.36 years ; Female 61.78 years; Illiteracy rate (%) Male: 23, Female:34 Average per capita income USD 2, 500 Population density 94.5/km2 Urban population (%) 49 Contributor groups (%) Farming, fishing:35 Industry: 20 Social service: 45 Main Export Items Gold, Cocoa, Timber, Tuna, Bauxite, Aluminium, Manganese ore, Diamonds, Horticulture. Economy is based on Agriculture. Climate Tropical; Warm & comparatively dry along southeast coast; Hot & humid in southwest; Hot and dry in north. Extremes;- Lowest point; The Atlantic Ocean 0 mtr. Highest point: Mt. Afadjato 800 mtrs. Weather of the Capital city (Accra) average annual temperature 26.60c. Altitude 27 mtrs/200 ft Hottest Month March-April 24-31oc. Coldest Month August 22-27oc. Driest Month January 15mm average Rf. Wettest Month June 178 mm average Rf. Measures Metric system. Time zone GMT/UTC+0 Public holidays January1, March 6 (Independence day), Good Friday, Easter Saturday & Sunday, July 1 (Republic day), Christmas, Boxing day. Ethnic groups Akan 45.3%, Mole-Dagbon 15.2%, Ewe 11.7%, Ga-Dangme 7.3%, Guan 4%, Gurma 3.6%, Grusi 2.6%, Mande-Busanga 1%, other tribes 9.2%. Topographic & Environmental concern Most of Ghana consists of low fertile plains & scrubland cut by river by the artificial lake Volta. Lake volta is one of world's artificial lakes. Environment: recurrent drought in north severely affects agricultural activities; deforestation; overgrazing; soil erosion; poaching and habitat destruction threatens wildlife populations; water pollution; inadequate supplies of potable water. Economic Overview Industry Aluminium smelting, light industry, mining, lumbering, manufacturing, food processing, cement, small commercial ship-building. Chief crops Cocoa (70% of export), coffee, rice, cassava, peanuts, corn, shea-nuts, bananas, timber. Natural resources Crude-oil, Gold, Manganese ore, Industrial diamonds, Bauxites, Timber, Fish, Rubber, Silver, Salt, Limestone, Hydro-power. Land in use (%) Arable land: 28 Grassland: 37 Forest woods: 24 Other: 11 Marine: Coastline; 539 km. Commercial Sea ports:- Accra (Tema-Harbour), Sekondi-Takoradi Development prospect; Ghana is the world's second largest cocoa producer behind Ivory Coast, and Africa's biggest gold miner after South Africa. It is one of the continent's fastest growing economies, and newest oil producer. The government will need to speed its revenues from oil, gold and cocoa wisely, as prices of these commodities look likely to decline during the year ahead. Scrutiny of the mining sector by the government's Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has become more rigorous. EPA uses a new rating system, known as Akoben – 'war horn' in the Akan language – to name and shame poor performers. Anglogold Ashanti, Goldfields Ghana and Prestea Sankofa Gold had slipped down the environmental list in 2011, and bottom was the Ghana Bauxite Company, in which China's Bosai Minerals recently acquired an 80% stake. Scientists at the Centre for Environmental Impact Analysis say that host communities in the gold-rich Western Region face a wide range of medical hazards caused by toxic chemicals such as arsenic, cadmium, mercury, zinc, manganese, lead, cobalt and platinum. But the communities are not blameless. When Adamus Resources began operations in Teleku-Bokazo, they were forced to demolish 3,000 illegal, empty structures, built only to obtain compensation. NGOs have expressed concern about the increasing encroachment by prospecting mining companies into the country's forest reserves. Hannah Owusu Koranteng of pressure group WACAM says the practice contravenes the national land policy adopted in 1999, and that at the current rate of destruction Ghana will lose its forest reserves in 23 years.