Structural Adjustment Programs And Its Impact On Ghana 's Human Development

In early Africa, the kingdom of Ghana was prosperous due to the trade of salt and gold. Ghana’s location benefited it in many ways. First Ghana’s location allowed them to be the center of the Gold/Salt trade. Since salt was so valuable at the time, the people of Ghana were able to sell salt for gold throughout Africa, the Mediterranean Sea, and the Middle East. Ghana also made a lot of revenue from taxes on the Gold/Salt trade route. Since they were the center

Ghana was not only self-sufficient from its trading economy, but also from its harvesting of crops and livestock. The land consisted of several species of millet, rice, and cotton. Being a zone that was introduced to iron very early on, their agricultural sector flourished. Consequently, handicraft industries such as cotton cloth production sprang as they took advantage of the nation’s huge surpluses. Additionally, livestock was plentiful in the open savannah of western Africa.

There were many economic struggles in Ghana that put sever stress on the residents. Because of the lack of money there are a huge number of people that are unemployed and will continue to be for a very long amount of time. Those between the ages of 18 and 35 are most commonly struggling through being jobless but this makes up so much of Ghana’s population. With a scarcity of money, infrastructural struggles begin to occur which is not easy to deal with. They barely have electricity, running water, heat, etc. and this can result in many uncomfortable results.

Although Ghana has sought out financial and development support from the United States, other supportive sources from developed countries may be of an asset to developing country dealing with global

A process of neoliberal restructuring has been going on in many parts of the world in recent decades. The belief that domestic and international liberalization, privatization, and cutbacks in public spending are the route to economic success is firmly lodged, despite the absence of supporting evidence. In the 1980s and early 1990s the fastest growing economies in the world – such countries as South Korea, Taiwan, China, Thailand, Malaysia, and Indonesia -- had institutions and policies that significantly departed from neoliberal prescriptions. The closest followers of the neoliberal agenda, such as the US since the late 1970s and the formerly Communist Party ruled states of Eastern and Central Europe since the end of the 1980s, registered economic performance ranging from poor to disastrous.

4. Read Annual Editions Article 4.1, "Africa's Hopeful Economies: The Sun Shines Bright", pp. 116-122, and Article 4.2, "Can Africa Turn from Recovery to Development?", pp. 122-127.

Dominated by agriculture grown for export markets since colonial times, the economy of this West African nation is beginning to diversify (Michael Radu). According to statistics provided by the International Monetary Fund, in 2006 revenues from oil and refined products surpassed earnings from the nation’s biggest cash crop, cocoa (African Studies Center). The government in 2011, predicted that the nation’s biggest source of wealth would be petroleum resources. Currently more than 30 international mining companies are mining and exploring reserves of gold. Political stability will determine is multinational energy and mining companies can assist with bringing gold, natural gas, diamonds, nickel, oil, and other natural resources. Foreign investments have slowed down due to political instability, which contributed to the country’s initial financial success. Economic growth has come to a standstill. Although the GDP growth rate improved from about 2% in 2008 to 4% in 2009–2011, per capita income has continuously dropped since 1999, with a slight improvement in 2009–2010 (Central Intelligence

Ghana is a country in Africa that is native to 25 million people. It is neighbored by the Ivory Coast to the West, Togo to the East and Burkina Faso to the North. It is also bordered by the Gulf of Guinea to the south. It is about the size of Oregon and it’s religions include Christianity, Islam, and other Indigenous beliefs (Bbc news, 2013). Ghana has different climates in different parts of the country. Near the coast, there are tropical forests, in the middle there is a transitional zone where it then transitions into the savannah in the north where it is dryer and only gets one rainy season versus two in the south (Encyclopedia of the nations). Their major exports are gold, cocoa, timber, and many other products. Their GDP is $40.71

From various perspectives the two nations has centered, Ghana and Côte d'Ivoire, catch the differing qualities of involvement in Africa since freedom. The regular picture painted of a landmass subject to political unsteadiness, buried in destitution and stagnating is a long way from reality. For over two decades Côte d'Ivoire was a standout amongst the best nations in the creating scene. Ghana's recuperation, both financial and political, since the breakdown of the mid 1980s has been amazing. In any case, on account of Côte d'Ivoire achievement was not kept up, and on account of Ghana the economy stays a long ways behind those similarly poor at the season of freedom however now with high livelihoods.

In this article, David Harvey presents the concepts and the impacts of Neoliberalism. Harvey believes neoliberalism is the best way to advances entrepreneurial freedoms through values such as private property rights, individual liberty, and free trade. He argues neoliberalism is taking over today world and become the global standard or the set of rules. “Neoliberalization has in effect swept across the world like a vast tidal wave of institutional reform and discursive adjustment, and while there is plenty of evidence of its uneven geographical development, no place can claim total immunity (with the exception of a few states such as North Korea). Furthermore, the rules of engagement now established through the WTO (governing international

I am highly motivated to pursue further studies in agricultural and resource economics at Kasetsart University. My strong interest in agriculture and the business of agriculture and its relation to economic development . Agriculture is the backbone of my country Ghana, supplying food for the nation's population. It is part of a massive business sector that provides many opportunities for the masses of people.

The example of Dingxi’s anti poverty drive readily comes to mind and this paper highly recommends that Ghana should adopt a similar strategy designed along her unique characteristics.

The rise of globalization following WWII generated three important factors that define today’s world. McNeill and McNeill agree with Pollard, Rosenberg, and Tignor that multiple economic changes, such as the creation of financial institutions like the International Monetary Fund (IMF) contributed to the globalization of the world economy. Carter and Warren further this argument by claiming that globalization has caused shifts in the modern economy, namely the rise of Asian economic powers. However, all three historians agree that the rise of globalization goes hand in hand with the rise of inequality in today’s world. Gaps in power, wealth, and access to information have only widened due to the trend of globalization. The final key factor defining our world today are the ongoing processes affecting development countries. McNeill and McNeill argue similarly to Carter and Warren that the end of imperialism generated new nations who quickly realized the free market was a pathway to stability. However, Pollard et al. and McNeill and McNeill place importance on financial institutions like the IMF forcing developing nations to reform their economies to be subservient to the world’s economy. Together, these historians argue that the trend of globalization following WWII caused factors like the modern global economy, the rise in inequality, and the development of new, decolonized nations to be key determiners in the world today.

Ghana started to work with the IMF/World Bank in the sixties. Since then most of its

The first major west African state was Ghana originated during the fourth century After A.D (Harris p.52). The early Ghanaian society was an organized society which had like Egypt a political system. The kingdom was prospered for many reasons. First, its position in Niger river valley which constitute a base for agriculture. Second, they have control on the of the trade between north Arabs, the Saharan salt mines, and the mines of gold. in addition, the Ghanaian empire adopted Islam which helped them to become center for learning and culture. Although Ghanaians