Ghana

Ghana, officially called the Republic of Ghana, is a sovereign unitary presidential constitutional democracy, located along the Gulf of Guinea and Atlantic Ocean, in the subregion of West Africa. Ghana is bordered by the Ivory Coast in the west, Burkina Faso in the north, Togo in the east and the Gulf of Guinea and Atlantic Ocean in the south. The word Ghana means "Warrior King" in Mande.

A

 * On the face of it, the sustained economic decline that soon set in in Ghana after independence from Britain was caused by ignorance. The British economist Tony Killick, then working as an adviser for the government of Kwame Nkrumah, recorded many of the problems in great detail. Nkrumah’s policies focused on developing state industry, which turned out to be very inefficient. Killick recalled: "The footwear factory … that would have linked the meat factory in the North through transportation of the hides to the South (for a distance of over 500 miles) to a tannery (now abandoned); the leather was to have been backhauled to the footwear factory in Kumasi, in the center of the country and about 200 miles north of the tannery. Since the major footwear market is in the Accra metropolitan area, the shoes would then have to be transported an additional 200 miles back to the South." Killick somewhat understatedly remarks that this was an enterprise “whose viability was undermined by poor siting.” The footwear factory was one of many such projects, joined by the mango canning plant situated in a part of Ghana which did not grow mangos and whose output was to be more than the entire world demand for the product. This endless stream of economically irrational developments was not caused by the fact that Nkrumah or his advisers were badly informed or ignorant of the right economic policies. They had people like Killick and had even been advised by Nobel laureate Sir Arthur Lewis, who knew the policies were not good. What drove the form the economic policies took was the fact that Nkrumah needed to use them to buy political support and sustain his undemocratic regime. Neither Ghana’s disappointing performance after independence nor the countless other cases of apparent economic mismanagement can simply be blamed on ignorance. After all, if ignorance were the problem, well-meaning leaders would quickly learn what types of policies increased their citizens’ incomes and welfare, and would gravitate toward those policies.
 * Daron Acemoglu and James A. Robinson, Why Nations Fail: The Origins of Power, Prosperity, and Poverty (2012)

E

 * This event is a cause of pride and satisfaction to the United States as it must be to all free nations. Ghana, which has demonstrated its devotion to peace and the maintenance of democratic political institutions and its dedication to the social and economic advancement of its people, is a welcome addition to the family of nations.
 * Dwight D. Eisenhower; Exchange of Messages Between the President and the Prime Minister of Ghana on the Occasion of Its Independence Online, The American Presidency Project; 25 February 1957


 * Slavery is not the only story about black people. It's only a small story! Don't they know if tomorrow a slave ship arrived at Elmina to carry us to America, so many Ghanaians would climb on board that this ship would sink to the bed of the ocean from our weight?
 * Elolo, as quoted in Searching for Zion, The Quest for Home in the African Diaspora (2013), by Emily Raboteau, Atlantic Monthly Press, p. 223.

G

 * As Ghana — the little African nation that could — readies itself for a quarterfinal match against Uruguay, you're bound to hear more about the Ghana/Oregon connection. It was there in the Ghana vs United States pre and post-mortems — as in "Ghana, a nation the size of Oregon." As in — puny country, puny state... So go ahead all you pundits — keep feeding us the "Ghana is the size of little old Oregon" line. Here in Oregon, we know what it really means: Uruguay, watch out!
 * Tom Goldman, "The Ghana/Oregon Comparison: In Defense Of A Puny State" (2 July 2010), NPR.

K

 * Kids who look like me and kids who have gone through the things that I've gone through see that it's actually possible because it happened, as opposed to in theory...so on that level, being able to go back to Ghana and be there and be physical, tangible proof that anybody from anywhere can achieve anything, because I was just like one of these kids in these towns at one point in my life. And here I am as WWE champion. It's only because I believed in myself that I kept pursuing the dream that I wanted.
 * Kofi Kingston, as quoted in

L

 * Ghana dey be!!
 * Lucy Quist, as quoted in

M

 * Change is happening, Ghana is being transformed and we are impacting people's lives
 * Ghana's government will not repeat mistakes made during the last election and will maintain strict fiscal discipline ahead of the 2016 vote, President John Mahama told parliament in an annual State of the Nation address Thursday, which often got interrupted by jeers from the opposition bench. Mahama has also said that the Ghana government has been showing positive signs, setting the stage for transformation, and listed numerous social infrastructure projects completed during his presidency, quoted on Voice of America, "Ghana's President Vows to Keep Tight Grip on Spending Before Election", February 25, 2016.


 * I feel very hopeful. Ghana has become a role model for other countries. We weren't expecting to get the vaccines (COVAX) so soon. Having this at this time, I think shows that Ghana is doing what it needs to take this disease (COVID-19) seriously.
 * Mavis Owureku-Asare, as quoted in

N

 * The independence of Ghana is meaningless until it is linked to the total liberation of Africa.
 * Kwame Nkrumah, quoted in A. E. Ekoko, Margaret A. Vogt, Nigerian defence policy: issues and problems (1990), p. 55.


 * This country, Ghana, needs leadership that cares for its citizens. A leadership that is bold in its fight against corruption, a leadership that has proven strength in putting Ghana and Ghanaians first and indeed I am running for president because I know that I am that leader and my track record is really acting in the best interest of my nation and is there for all to see. So, my work with the women to the youth to the various development projects, I have always done what is best for Ghana and for Ghanaians.
 * Nana Konadu Agyeman Rawlings, quoted in Peter Clottey, Former Ghanaian First Lady Remains Confident About December Presidential Poll (October 22, 2016).


 * I am committed to laying the foundations of a prosperous future for Ghana so that all Ghanaians can have the confidence in a country built on a system that rewards their hard work and their sacrifice. I believe in creating a Ghana where mothers and fathers have the opportunity to invest in the future of their children; where Ghanaian genius is rewarded and where meritocracy is paramount. I believe in a thriving economy that creates equal opportunity for every Ghanaian.
 * Nana Konadu Agyeman Rawlings, quoted in, Nana Konadu Agyeman Rawlings: Empowering a nation (December 06, 2016).

O

 * For Ghana to suggest that they will turn off the Internet, in addition to other countries that have done it like Uganda, Zimbabwe, DRC, Burundi, Chad and others, that's worrying.
 * Ory Okolloh, as quoted in

R

 * As Italian people we are not only ready for agri-business here but we are also ready for the energy sector. Our wealth will be our wealth and your challenges will be shared across our collective efforts in finding solutions that work among the two countries in the spirit of collaboration. Be proud because you are the bench mark of democracy, not only for Ghanaians, your democratic record in Africa coming from a diversified background should be a pride of honour, and the democracy is the antidote against Terrorism, and Violence.
 * The Italian Prime Minister, Matteo Renzi, has announced that his country [Italy] is ready to develop Ghana's agricultural and energy sectors. According to him, Italy needs open democracies and good economies to partner with, quoted on Ghana.gov, "ITALY TO INVEST IN GHANA’S AGRIC & ENERGY SECTORS – ITALIAN PM".

S

 * They call it the group of death. So be it. The U.S., Portugal, Germany, and Ghana. Ghana, West African nation about the size of Oregon. Took us out of the last two World Cups. They really seemed to enjoy it. In fact, we've never beaten Ghana. Some say that proves we don't measure up, that we'll never survive. And to that, we say? Thanks. You see? Here's the thing. You doubt us? Perfect. Underestimate us? Fine. Challenges are what we wake up for. Working harder is what we do. And this is who we are. It's called the group of death. Makes sense, because we're in it. U.S., Ghana. Now.
 * Kiefer Sutherland, Ghana v. United States (16 June 2014), 2014 FIFA World Cup (2014), Brazil.


 * Ghana is forever. We will have to turn it around, it is not a matter of can we? We must. Don't ask me how.
 * Sophia Akuffo,