Ghana Investor's Guide [ ? ]

Do you want to invest in Africa or come on a visit? Look no further – GHANA is the answer.

Location: Ghana, once called the Gold Coast is situated on the west coast of Africa. It was the first country south of the Sahara to attain independence and undoubtedly one of the countries in Africa with unique characteristics with regard to its strategic geographic position, rich political history and immense natural resources. It occupies a total land area of 238,539 square kilometers (92,100 square miles) and lies between latitudes 4 and 11.5 degrees north and longitudes 3.11 degrees west and 1.11 degrees east of the Equator. Ghana shares boundaries with Burkina Faso to the North, Ivory Coast to the West, Togo to the East and the Atlantic Ocean to the south. One remarkably feature about this country is its closeness to the centre of the world as the Greenwich meridian passes through Tema; the industrial city of the country. Ghana has an estimated population of 20 million (2006 estimate) with English as its official language.

Climate: These are two major seasons in the country, namely the rain season, (between April and October) and the dry season (November to March). Annual rainfall in southern Ghana averages 2000 mm but varies throughout the country with the heaviest rainfall in the south western part.

Its vegetation distribution varies greatly. The north is predominantly savannah, whereas the middle belt and the southern are mainly rainforest and thicket respectively. The variety in vegetation distribution coupled with the different soil types in each belt presents numerous agricultural and other economic opportunities to the nation. It is no wonder that agriculture is the backbone of Ghana’s economy contributing 37% of its Gross Domestic Product.

Natural resources: Ghana is one of the most naturally endowed countries in Africa based on its agricultural, mineral and water resources. 57% of the total land area of Ghana is suitable for agriculture and out of this figure only 39% is currently under cultivation by a 60% of the population. At present, Ghana is not only the second largest producer of cocoa in the world, but also the third largest producer of timber and second largest exporter of wood and wood product in Africa. Cocoa production shot up from 437 thousand metric tons in 2000 to 740 thousand metric tons by the end of 2006.

It is in line with this impressive performance that the Ghana Cocoa Board extends invitation to all investors to take advantage of the opportunity that exists in the processing of Ghana’s premium Cocoa into several products for the potential export market. Additionally, there has also been a remarkable increase in the production and export of non-traditional crops such as vegetables, fruits and horticultural products. There are also opportunities to process and add value to the different agricultural products in the country. Some investors have seen these opportunities and have positioned themselves strategically to take advantage of them. For instance, Cargill International, a global agro-processing company has begun constructing a 50 million US dollar cocoa processing factory in Tema. Also, Golden Exotic Company, local subsidiary of Campagnie Fruitiere of France, exported 3,600 metrics tons of pineapple in 2005 and projects to export 17,000 metrics tons this year. Indeed the agricultural sector presents enormous investment opportunities and investors are being invited to fully utilize these opportunities.

• Index:
• Preface
  • Welcome to Ghana
  • Index
  • Production
  • Country report
  • Location
  • Natural resources
  • Government
  • Construction
  • Finance
  • Investment procedures
  • Ghana’s banking industry
  • Fisheries
  • The fishing industry
  • Lands forestry and mines – the case in ghana
  • The forestry subsector
  • Minerals and mining
  • Land acquisition and documentation
  • ghana huge salt export potentials
  • Comunication
  • Tourism boom in ghana
  • Ghana festivals
  • Special events
• Company profiles and top interviews
  • Shandong fisheries enterprise limited
  • Interview with Mrs. Fan Zhi Lan and Mr Emmanuel K. Appiah, Director and Deputy Director respectively of the Ghana Office of Shandong Group Corporation of fisheries enterprises.
  • United States Embassy
  • Interview with amb. pamela e. bridgewater u.s. ambassador to ghana
  • Kuapa Kokoo
  • Crown Apartamento Hotel
  • Interview with Mr Richard Prempeh Managing Director Crown Apartamento Hotel
  • Ecobank
  • Energy Commission
  • Interview with Dr. Ofosu Ahenkorah Executive Secretary of the Energy Commission
  • Engineers & Planners Company Limited
  • Interview with Mr Ibrahim Mahama, CEO, Engineers & Planners
  • Equilease rent a car
  • Interview with Ian Selormey, CEO of Equilease Ghana Limited and Isal travel and tours
  • The GCNET system
  • Interview with Mr. Nortey Omaboe, Executive Chairman of GCNET (Ghana Community Network)
  • Ghana Civil Aviation Authority
  • Interview with Mr. Simon Allotey, Director-General, Ghana Civil Aviation Authority
  • Ghana Post
  • Profile of Kofi Dua-Adonteng, Managing Director
  • Interview with Mr. Kofi Dua -Adonteng, Managing Director, Ghana Postal Company Limited
  • Helgard travelandtours
  • Interview with Mr. Thomas Okyere, Chief Executive Officer, Helgard travel and tours
  • HFC Bank
  • Interview with Mr Asare Akuffo, Managing Director, HFC Bank limited.
  • Hydrological Services Department
  • John Bitar & Company limited
  • Interview with Gasshan Bitar, Managing Director of John Bitar & CO
  • K-NET
  • Interview with Richard Hlomato, General Manager in charge of projects and customer service for K-NET
  • Labadi Beach Hotel
  • Interview with Adrian Landry, Managing Director of the Labadi Beach Hotel
  • The Lowe Group profile
  • Interview with Mrs Norkor A. Duah, Managing Director Lowe Lintas
  • Ministry of lands, forestry and mines
  • Dominic Kwaku Fobih, Minister of lands, forestry and mines (Government)
  • Minister for fisheries.
  • Minister for women and children’s affairs Honourable Gladys Asmah (Mrs.)
  • Interview with Mrs Gladys Asmah, Honourable Minister for Fisheries
  • Interview with Naji Ziady, Managing Director of Ayum Forest Products ltd, Naja David Group
  • North American Airlines
  • Interview with Mark Ofori Amanfo, Country Manager of North American Airlines (CM) and Obed Owusu-Kussi the General Manager in charge of Africa (GM)
  • NTHC Properties
  • Interview with Cletus Agboado, Managing Director of NTHC properties
  • Stanbic Bank – African Roots, Global Reach
  • Mr. Alhassan Andani, Managing Director of the Standard Bank Group Ghana
  • State Housing Company Ltd
  • Interview with Anthony Sarpong Mensah (MD), Akwasi Agyeman Prempeh
  • The African Regent Hotel
  • Interview with Norbert Angerer
  • Trasacco Estates Developemenmt Ccompany Ltd
  • Micheletti & CO. Ltd
  • Villaggio
  • Royal Aluminum Systems Ltd.
  • Fabi Timbers Company Profile.
  • Interview with Ernesto Taricone
  • Interview with Engineer F.K. Akwaboah, Chief Executive Officer of ABP Consult
  • Interview with Ernest Abankroh, Country Manager, Anglogold Ashanti Limited – Ghana.
  • Interview with Mr. Alfred Dorn, Managing Director(MD) and Miss Hanna Tetteh, General Manager (GM) of Ghana Agro Foods Company Limited (GAFCO)
  • Interview with Mr. Robert Ahomkah-Lindsay, CEO Ghana Investment Promotion Centre (GIPC).
  • Interview with Honorable Ernest Akubuor Debrah, Minister for food and agriculture.
  • Interview with Professor Christopher Ameyaw Ekumfi, Minister for ports, harbors & railways
  • Interview with the Honourable Sampson Kwaku Boafo, Minister for Chieftancy and Cultural affairs
  • Interview with Mr. Stephen Asamoah Boateng Minister for Tourism and Diasporan relations
  • Interview with Mr. Kwadwo Baah Wiredu, the Honourable Minister of Finance and economic planning
  • Interview with Daniel Awuah - Darko Jnr, Executive Chairman of Vanguard Assurance Company Limited
  • Interview with Mr. Joshua Kofi Ofedie, Chief Executive Officer of Volta River Authority
• Links

(See above for purchasing options)