COUNTRY PROFILE

Ghana was the first place in sub-Saharan Africa where Europeans arrived to trade - first in gold, later in slaves. It was also the first black African nation to become independent. Ghana enjoys double the per capita output of poorer countries in the region, but the income of its citizens is among the lowest in the world. Ghana is a secular state with religious freedom even though many members of the former military government were hostile to Christianity. Despite this past concern with the military, Ghana has enjoyed a rather successful Christian pilgrimage compared to other African nations in the 10/40 window. Over 64 percent of Ghanaians call themselves Christian, but only 40 percent have any link with a church and only 12 percent are regular church attendees. The deadness and formality of many older churches has stimulated rapid growth of the younger churches, which offer excitement, involvement and miracles, but not always salvation. Pray that a decisive break may be made from all fetishism and pagan bondages, and true liberty in Jesus is found.

OVERVIEW

Independent from Britain in 1957, but like its neighbors, Ghana's post-independence history has been one of political and economic decline. 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. In 1966, its first president and pan-African hero, Kwame Nkrumah, was deposed in a coup. (Since Nkrumah's rule, there have been five military regimes and three short-lived civilian governments.) In 1981, Flight Lieutenant Jerry Rawlings staged his second coup. The country began to move towards economic stability and democracy. In April 1992, a constitution allowing for a multiparty system was approved in a referendum, ushering in a period of democracy. Although Ghana has largely escaped the civil strife that has plagued other West African countries, in 1994-95 land disputes in the north erupted into ethnic violence. This resulted in the deaths of 1,000 people and the displacement of a further 150,000. 

FACTS

Population: 19.5 million
Capital: Accra
Major languages: English, indigenous African languages
Major religions: Islam, Christianity, indigenous beliefs
Form of government: Multiparty republic 
Monetary unit: 1 Cedi = 100 pesewas
Main exports: Gold, cocoa, timber, tuna, bauxite, aluminum, manganese ore, diamonds
Internet domain: .gh
Time zone: GMT
International dialing code: +233 

LEADERS


President:
John Kufuor 

John Kufuor's victory in the presidential ballot in December 2000 marked the first real transfer of power through elections in Ghana. Born in 1938, Kufuor is a devout Roman Catholic. A lawyer, who studied at Oxford, he held positions as deputy foreign minister and as secretary for local government where he initiated the policy that formed the basis of the country's present decentralized district assemblies. Known as the "Gentle Giant", Kufuor, however, is said to lack the common touch of his predecessor, Jerry Rawlings. Vice-President: Aliu Mahama; Foreign Minister: Hackman Owusu-Agyemang; Defense Minister: Kwame Addo-Kufuor; Interior Minister: Malik Yakubu Alhassan; Finance Minister: Yaw Osafo Marfo. 

MEDIA

The government allows little expression of opposition views over the national radio and television networks or in the two daily newspapers it controls. It uses criminal libel laws that make reporting "false" information a felony in order to intimidate the media. Ghanaian courts have acted with increased autonomy under the 1992 constitution, but are still subject to governmental influence, especially in media-related cases. The main national broadcaster, the Ghana Broadcasting Corporation (GBC), is an autonomous statutory body. There is also a network of regional and community radio stations, most of them part of the GBC. 

     The Press
     The Ghanaian Chronicle - published three times a week
     Daily Graphic - daily newspaper
     The Mirror - weekly newspaper
     Akwaaba - an online magazine with daily news updates
     Ghanaian Times - daily newspaper
     The Independent - weekly newspaper
     Ghana Palaver - weekly newspaper
     Sunday Herald - weekly newspaper

     Television
     Ghana TV (GTV) - state-owned national TV operated by the Ghana Broadcasting Corporation
     Metro TV - jointly owned by the Ghanaian government and a Malaysian company
     TV3 - private, free-to-air TV channel
     Multichoice - cable TV channel
     V-Net TV - cable TV channel
     Fantazia TV - cable TV channel

     Radio
     Ghana Broadcasting Corporation - Radio 1, national broadcaster, broadcasting in English and 
        Ghanaian vernaculars (Akan, Dagbani, Ewe, Ga, Hausa and Nzema)
     http://www.ghanaclassifieds.com/Ghana Broadcasting Corporation - Radio 2, commercial service of 
        the Ghana Broadcasting Corporation, broadcasting in English
     http://www.ghanaclassifieds.com/Radio GAR, owned by Ghana Broadcasting Corporation
     Atlantis Radio - private radio
     Gold FM - private radio
     Vibe FM - private radio
     Joy FM - private radio
     Choice FM - private radio
     Radio Universe - private FM radio
     Groove FM - private radio

     News Agency
     Ghana News Agency 

OBSTACLES TO MINISTRY

• History of government instability
• Reluctance of Ghanaians to go to the unevangelized peoples in the north

SPIRITUAL POWER POINTS

• Youth are in the forefront of the move of the Spirit
• Cities filled with diverse ethnic groups
  

Special thanks to Patrick Johnstone's, "Operation World" publisher, ISBN# 0-310-40031-7; and country profiles by BBC