WEBMASTER: nii.kommey@ghanaemberlin.de

                     nii_kommey@msn.com

Prior to independence on March 6, 1957, Ghana was called the Gold Coast.  The earliest Europeans to set foot on the land were the Portuguese in the 15th century.  On their arrival, they found so much gold between the rivers Ankobra and the Volta that they named the area “da  Mina”,  meaning “The Mine”.  In 1482, the first castle was built in the Gold Coast by the Portuguese at Elmina to enhance their trading activities especially in gold and slaves.

By 1598, the Dutch also arrived in the Gold Coast to trade.  They built forts along the coastal areas, notable among them being the Dutch fort at Komenda.  In  1637, they captured the Elmina castle from the Portuguese and in 1642 captured Fort St. Anthony in Axim.

Many other European traders came to the Gold Coast to trade.  These included the British, Danes and Swedes.   The European traders built several forts along Ghana’s coastlines. In 1872, the Dutch lost interest in the coast and ceded their forts free to the British thus ended a period of Dutch occupation lasting 274 years.  By 1874, the British who were then the only Europeans in the Gold Coast established the crown colony that brought the coastal states under its effective political control.

Christianborg Castle

Christianborg Castle is unique among the castles and forts along the coast of Ghana as it served as Government House during various periods in the 19th and 20th centuries and continues to play that role today.  The building of the first lodge in the 17th century at Osu is attributed to the Swedish African company in 1657. The Swedish headquarters at Carolusburg Castle, Cape Coast was captured by the Danish Guinea company led by Heinddrick Caerlof who himself was formerly Swedish Africa Company’s Commanding Director.  This resulted in all Swedish establishments including Osu lodge passing into the hands of the Danish Africa Company, Caerlof defected to the Dutch in 1659.  The Danish Commander of Carolusburg was tricked into believing that Denmark had been conquered.  He therefore sold Caroluburg to the Dutch and with it the former Swedish establishments including Osu lodge.  The Ga Paramount Chief Okaikoi, disgusted with their trickery, asked the Dutch to leave Osu.  In 1661, Jost Cramer, Danish government of Fredericksborg, near Cape Coast, acquired land from chief Okaikoi for 3,200 gold florins.  The Danes built a stone fort to replace the earthen lodge and named it Christianborg (Christian’s fortress) after the former King of Denmark, Christian IV who had died in 1648.

Independence

Ghana gained independence from colonial rule on 6th March, 1957, thus making it the first country in Africa, South of the Sahara to regain independence from colonial rule.

GOVERNMENT  

Ghana’s system of government is a multiparty constitutional democracy founded on elections by open and free universal adult suffrage.  All Ghanaians above 18 years are eligible to vote into office an Executive President for a maximum of two four-year terms.  A 230-member Parliament is also elected to unlimited four-year terms.

The main arms of Government are the Executive, Legislature and Judiciary each of which is independent of the other.

The Executive

There exists by constitutional provision a Council of State that advises the President.  Council membership is by both election and appointment.  There is also a Cabinet which is chaired by the president.  By constitutional provision, a majority of Cabinet members must be appointed from among members of Parliament (The Legislature).

By constitutional provision, in the absence of the president, the Vice-President acts in his stead and in the absence of both the President and the Vice president, the Speaker of the House of Parliament takes over the mantle of State.

Legislature

  The current Parliament is the Third parliament of the Fourth Republic of Ghana which came into being in 1992.  Parliament is presided over by a Speaker elected by Parliament.  The Speaker is assisted in the discharge of his duties by a First Deputy Speaker and a Second Deputy Speaker who are both members of the House, but not from the ruling party.

Judiciary

Civil law in Ghana is based on the English Common Law doctrines of equity and general statutes.  Ghanaian customary law is however the basis of most personal, domestic and contractual relationships.  Criminal law is based on the 1960 Criminal Procedure Code, derived from amended English Criminal Law.

The Superior Court of Judicature comprises the Supreme Court, Court of Appeal, High Court, Regional Tribunals and Inferior Courts, which include Circuit Courts Circuit Tribunals, Community Tribunals and such other Courts as may be designated by law.

FOREIGN POLICY

Ghana’s foreign policy objectives are geared towards good neighbourliness, the promotion and protection of Ghana’s interests for a just and equitable international economic system and social order, for the promotion of respect for international law and treaty obligations, settlement of international disputes by peaceful means as well as adherence to the principles enshrined in the charters of the organisations of which Ghana is a member state.  A founding member of the OAU, now the AU, Ghana is also a member of the UN, the Commonwealth, ECOWAS and the ACP Group, to name only a few.

LOCAL GOVERNMENT

A decentralized central government administration has been fostered at local government level where there are 10 Regional Co-coordinating Councils, 110 Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies which serve to involve grassroots participation in the formulation and implementation of government policies and the general development of their areas of jurisdiction.  

MEDIA

Ghana has a pluralistic and highly independent media.  There are over 50 newspapers, most of which appear daily, except Sundays and some holidays.  Two (2) of the press houses that publish these newspapers are state-owned enterprises.  There are twenty-three (23) approved television stations, among which is the Ghana Broadcasting Corporation (GBC), the state-owned station with a national coverage.  Some 125 frequency modulation (FM) stations and a number of cable television companies.

RESOURCES

Rich mineral resources such as gold, diamonds, manganese, limestone, bauxite, iron ore as well as various clays and granite deposits.  Ghana is the second larges producer of gold in Africa.

Extensive forests which are arguably the best manages in West Africa (with 252) permanent forest reserves in the rain forest zone alone.  In total about 11% of Ghana is occupied by forests.  Ghana is the second largest producer of cocoa in the world.  It is also the third largest producer of timber and the second largest exporter of wood and wood products in Africa; Rich marine fishing resources (tuna and game fishing); Beautiful landscape, inviting sunshine, pristine beaches, exotic wildlife and exciting national parks and game reserves; Rich culture and tradition and a world acclaimed warmth and hospitality of its people; Large oil deposits have been discovered in the Western Region of the country.