Ghana’s first genetically modified crop: why we created a new cowpea variety, how we tested it and what we found: Cowpea (Vigna unguiculata) is an indigenous and staple crop in sub-Saharan Africa, but it has an enemy: an insect called the legume pod borer (Maruca vitrata). This pest can cause yield losses of more than …
Financial skills like managing debt are key to success, but Ghana’s small businesses don’t have them: Mongta Studio/Shutterstock Financial literacy is vital for individuals and households. Simply put, it’s the ability to understand and effectively use various financial skills: budgeting, managing debt, making sound investments, and understanding financial statements. These skills are crucial for businesses, …
Ghana’s informal settlements are not all the same – social networks make a difference in community development: Informal settlements in Africa are diverse. Across regions and even in the same city, socioeconomic and physical conditions vary. One thing is common though: upgrading them is a challenge. Among the challenges are issues of including people, having …
Ghana’s schools don’t teach enough about geoscience: why kids need to know how the planet works: Over the last few decades Ghana has seen a rise in environmental degradation such as pollution, deforestation and land degradation. These have been driven by urbanisation, industrialisation, carbon emissions and waste burning. Environmental problems have an impact on public …
Ghana’s economic crisis was caused by government borrowing – the central bank did the best it could: economist: Ghana is going through its worst economic crisis in a generation. The past two years have seen record high inflation in the country. Ghana’s central bank (the Bank of Ghana) has been criticised in some quarters for …
Ghana’s new anti-homosexuality bill violates everyone’s rights, not just LGBTIQ+ people – expert: Ghana’s new anti-homosexuality bill infringes several rights and freedoms, not only of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, intersex and queer (LGBTIQ+) people but of heterosexuals too. The bill has been in the works since 2021 when it was tabled in parliament as a …
Ghana’s electricity crisis is holding the country back – how it got here: The Akosombo Dam is an important source of power in Ghana. jbdodane/Flickr, CC BY For well over a decade Ghana was exalted as one of the most promising and fastest growing economies on the continent. But recent reports of the country’s steep …
Ghana’s media treats terrorism as a threat from outside – it overlooks violence at home: In 2022, 43% of all global terrorism deaths occurred in the Sahel – the region south of the Sahara Desert and stretching east-west across the African continent. West Africa had recorded 1,800 terrorism attacks as of June 2023, resulting in …
Ghana’s shea industry is not taking care of the women behind its growth: Ghana’s shea industry has a rich history. Shea – nkuto, karite, galam in some west African languages – is deeply embedded in the culture and tradition of the country’s northern regions. It is often considered a woman’s crop – women pick the …
Theresa Kufuor: Ghana’s former first lady was a quiet and unobtrusive champion of change: Flags have been flying at half mast in Ghana in tribute to Theresa Kufuor, the wife of John Agyekum Kufuor, president of Ghana from 2000 to 2008. Born Theresa Mensah, the former first lady passed away on 1 October at the …
Akan folklore contains ancient wisdom that could benefit Ghana’s western-style education system: Philosophies of education serve as frameworks for producing lifelong learners and a knowledgeable and skilled human workforce who develop their societies. Ghana’s education system currently favours a western educational philosophy, relegating its indigenous philosophies to the back burner. I am an academic in …
Ghana’s colonial past and assessment use means education prioritises passing exams over what students actually learn – this must change: Formal education in the Gold Coast, now Ghana, was introduced during the 15th century when Europeans came to its shores to trade. Education was only accessible to children of women married to western traders, and …
Ghana’s national health insurance users often end up paying as much as those who don’t belong. So why join?: Ghana's national healthcare system is designed for all. But there are pitfalls. Getty Images Health financing is a challenge any country has to deal with to provide good healthcare services. It’s especially important for developing countries …
Ghana’s housing policy and regulation is failing – COVID proved as much: Affordable housing in Ghana is unavailable for most people Wikimedia Commons Access to decent housing is a fundamental human right. Across sub-Saharan Africa, however, this right remains an elusive dream for many households. In Ghana, for example, the government estimates a staggering deficit …
Ghana’s population is young and rapidly urbanising – policies need to match the data: Ghana’s population can be described as rapidly urbanising and young Wikimedia Commons/Flickr Ghana’s population has reached 30.8 million according to the 2021 population census. This is a 6.1 million increase from the 24.7 million recorded in 2010. Understanding population trends is …
Ghana’s new chief justice: Gertrude Tokornoo faces challenges, but could help transform the country’s courts: The role of Chief Justice in Ghana comes with significant authority Wikimedia Commons Her Ladyship Gertrude Araba Esaaba Sackey Torkornoo took office as the 15th ,chief justice of Ghana on 12 June 2023. She is the third woman to occupy …
Ghana’s informal mining harms health and the land – but reforms must work with people, not against them: Poverty is prevalent in most gold mining communities in Ghana. Wikimedia Commons Artisanal small-scale mining has been practised in Ghana for over a century. In 2018, small-scale miners generated 2.1 million ounces of gold, accounting for 43.1% …
Black and Bold Queens is a new children’s book celebrating women in Ghana’s history: Detail of an illustration of Theodosia Okoh, who designed Ghana's flag. Illustrations by Denyse Gawu-Mensah/Black and Bold Queens A new children’s book, Black and Bold Queens: Women in Ghana’s History explores the lives of 16 notable female pioneers and leaders in …