High Commission of India

Accra, Ghana

GENERAL

Official Name

Republic of Ghana

Location

On the West Coast of Africa, situated between latitudes 4? and 11? north, bordered by Togo on the east, Côte D’Ivoire on the west, Burkina Faso on the north and the Atlantic Ocean on the south.

Capital

Accra

Regions

16 (Greater Accra, Western, Central, Eastern, Volta, Ashanti, Bono, Northern, Upper West, Upper East; in 2018, six new regions were created: Ahafo, Bono East, Savannah, North East, Oti and Western North).

The Regions are headed by Regional Ministers appointed by the President.

Area

238,533 km2. (Land: 227,533 km2; Water: 11,000 km2)

Climate

Ghana is characterized by a tropical climate but the annual rainfall level decreases as the altitude increases to the north, where Savannah climate becomes dominant. Most part of the country belongs to the Tropical Savannas climate and the Sub-Sahelian African moist region. The annual mean temperature ranges from 25?C to 27?C and is fairly constant throughout the year. The annual rainfall can be as high as 2,000 mm in the south-western part of the country, but decreases towards the northeast, dropping to 1,000 mm at the northern border area.

Population

30.78 million (Male: 15.2mn; Female: 15.6mn)                                (Ghana Population & Housing Census, 2021)

Age Profile

0-14 (36.5%); 15-64 (60%), 65 & above (3.6%)

Life Expectancy

64.9 years (Male 63.8 years; female 66.1 years) 

Languages

English; Major local dialects: Akan (or Twi), Ewe, Dagbani, Nzema and Ga/Adangbe. In all, there are about 60 different languages.

Ethnic Groups

Akan 45.7%, Mole-Dagbani 18.5%, Ewe 12.8%, Ga-Dangme 7.1%, Gurma 6.4%, Guan 3.2%, Grusi 2.7%, Mande 2%, other 1.6% (2021 est.)

Religion

Christian 71.3% (Pentecostal/Charismatic 31.6%, Protestant 17.4%, Catholic 10%, other 12.3%), Muslim 19.9%, traditionalist 3.2%, other 4.5%, none 1.1% (2021 est.)

Internet Penetration

Total data subscriptions: 23.69mn. Penetration rate: 76.94% (Mar. 2022)

Mobile Phones

Total voice subscriptions was 41,481,767 (Mar. 2022)

Urbanisation

57.98% (2021)

POLITICAL

Political Structure

Unitary Republic; Constitutional democracy

Major Political Parties

Ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) and opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC)

In the Parliamentary elections in December 2020, out of 275 seats, the NPP and the NDC won 137 seats each, with one secured by an independent, who extended support to NPP. 

Head of State

President (H.E. Mr. Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo since 7 January 2017; re-elected for 2nd term winning the Presidential elections in December 2020, securing 51.6% votes)

Head of Government

Presidential form of government

ECONOMIC

Currency

Cedis (1 Cedi=100 pesewas; USD1=GhC 13.09) (Nov 2022)

GDP

USD 77.59 billion (2021, World Bank)

GDP Per Capita

USD 2,445.30 (2021, World Bank)

GDP Growth Rate

3.5% - Forecast for 2022 (World Bank)

Composition of GDP

Agriculture (19.71%); Industry (28.26%); Services (45.93%) 

(Statista, 2021).

Inflation

40.4% (Oct. 2022, Bank of Ghana)

External debt 

USD 54.4 billion/ GhC 393bn (78.3% of GDP),                            (June 2022, Bank of Ghana)

Unemployment

4.7% (2021, World Bank)

Total Trade

USD 23.81bn (GhC 140.51 bn) (2021, MoTI) 

Total exports: USD 15.02bn (GhC 88.66bn) 

Total imports: USD 8.78bn (GhC 51.85bn) 

MOTI trade figures are in Cedi & converted @USD1=GhC5.9 (2021)

Exports to World

Top 5 items (2021): Gold-USD 5.03bn (GhC29.69 bn); Petroleum and petroleum products-USD 3.94bn (GhC23.25 bn); Cocoa and cocoa products-USD 2.53bn (GhC14.94 bn); Paper or paper board-USD 0.35bn (GhC2.09 bn); Cashew nuts-USD 0.27bn (GhC1.64 bn). 

Top 5 destination (2021): Switzerland-USD 2.37bn (GhC14.01 bn); South Africa-USD 1.88bn (GhC11.15 bn); United States-USD 1.66bn (GhC9.85 bn); India-USD 1.56bn (GhC9.25 bn); China-USD 1.20bn (GhC7.11 bn).

(MoTI trade figures are in Cedi & converted @USD1=GhC5.9 (2021)

Imports from World

Top 5 items (2021): Vehicles and vehicle parts-USD 1.98bn (GhC11.72 bn); Plastics and articles-USD 0.43bn (GhC2.57 bn); Self-propelled bulldozers-USD 0.27bn (GhC1.61 bn); Pharmaceutical products-USD 0.19bn (GhC1.14 bn); Rice-USD 0.18bn (GhC1.12 bn).

Top 5 sources (2021): China-USD 2.04bn (GhC12.08 bn); United States-USD 0.86bn (GhC5.09 bn); India-USD 0.60bn (GhC3.55 bn); Belgium-USD 0.40bn (GhC2.36 bn); United Arab Emirates-USD 0.31bn (GhC1.86 bn). 

(MoTI trade figures are in Cedi & converted @USD1=GhC5.9 (2021)

FDIs net inflows 

USD 1.875 billion (2020, World Bank)

USD 1.298 billion (Jan-Dec 2021, GIPC)

Net ODAs received

USD 3.1 billion (2020, World Bank)

BILATERAL TRADE

India’s Exports

USD717.33mn (2018-19); USD 617.42mn (2019-2020); USD 862.50mn (2020-21); USD 1109.66mn (2021-22); USD 539.86mn (2022-23 Apr-Sep). (DoC, GoI)

Pharmaceutical, Mineral Fuels & Oils, Plastics & articles, Iron or Steel & articles, Vehicles & parts, Textile, Chemicals, Cereals, Paper & Paperboard, etc.

India’s Imports

USD 3763.41mn (2018-19); USD 1773.55mn (2019-2020); USD 1374.96mn (2020-21); USD 1497.77mn (2021-22);  USD 1,320.50mn (2022-23 Apr-Sep). (DoC, GoI)

Gold, Edible fruit and nuts, Wood, Oil seeds and Olea, Aluminium, Rubber, Cocoa, Iron and Steel, etc. 

Indian Investments in Ghana

USD 2.2bn FDIs from1994-2021.

USD 93.84mn FDIs in 2021. (GIPC)  

Agriculture, pharmaceuticals, construction, manufacturing, agro-processing, service, tourism, etc 

Ghanaian Investments in India

US$ 7.78mn from Apr 2020-Sep 2021. (DPIIT, GoI)

Indian Community

The estimated number of Indians living in Ghana is about 10,000 out of which about 3,000 hold Ghanaian nationality. 

Some of the PIOs have been in Ghana for over 70 years. (Majority of the older generation of PIOs are Gujaratis and Sindhis). The business activities of Indians in Ghana have contributed in a major way to the economic development of Ghana and is well appreciated. 

The NRIs in Ghana are mainly middle level employees of companies operating in Ghana, both Indian-origin owned as well as foreign companies, particularly in IT, marketing, finance and accounts, etc.

December 2022