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Akuapim, Ghana: General Information
Ghana is located in West Africa near the equator and on the Greenwich Meridian. Ghana is well known for its friendly people and hospitality.
Basic information on Ghana:
Area: 239,460 square kilometers, or slightly smaller than Oregon
Population: 21,029,853 (from the CIA World Factbook, 2006)
Capital City: Accra
The Akuapim South District is located in the Eastern Region and is the seat of government for the urban centers that comprise its populace. The major city is Nsawam and the second major city is Aburi where the world famous Aburi Gardens are located. It is easily accessible to the capital city of the region at Koforidua and actually is quite close to the capital city of the country at Accra. Both Nsawam and Aburi are within a twenty-mile radius of Accra. The population of the district is 111,850 quite comparable to Lansing, however it has a sizable rural population. The district possesses a relative wealth of natural resources and arable land. There are two rivers and coastal savanna grassland as well as developed forestry, electrical system, telecommunications structure, health and educational institutions.
The Main Exports are cocoa, gold, timber, manganese ore, diamonds, bauxite. Ghana is currently promoting investment in their countries infrastructure. Currently Ghana has signed an agreement with the State of Michigan for economic and cultural cooperation. A Michigan-based country has invested in producing a source of Energy production and many Americans are currently conducting business with Ghana. Within the Akuapim South district budding economic, cultural, health and educational ventures are being planned. There is a District Hospital which is linked to five clinics, four maternity homes, two eye clinics, an orthopedic center and three private clinics. Linkages are being established with area hospitals in the Lansing area. The health system in the district can greatly benefit from resources which we have in the Lansing community.
Cultural
There are several festivals which include the Odwira: celebrated by the Akan people of Akuapim, Akwamu, Denkyira; and the Akyems; and the Yam Festival: celebrated by the Akan people of Aburi in Akuapim. There is also a wealth of culture in the visual arts, dance, music and in the folkways of Ghana. There is also religious diversity with many ceremonies which emphasize this fact with traditional religious ceremonies as well as Christian and Muslim ceremonies often all at the same events. Other sites are available such as the ancestral homelands of the Ashanti at Kumasi which is a distance away but easily accessible by road and airplane and the Slave Castles in Cape Coast also easily accessible by road. There has also been an influx of African Americans influence. There is the W.E.B. Dubois Cultural Center and the George Padmore Library, both Ghanaian institutions which honor African Americans and African American heroes as well as African and Diaspora figures are pictured prominently at the Almina Slave Castles welcoming lobbies.
Language
The official language of Ghana is English and is taught in all schools. Most written material is in English. There are many other languages and individuals speak their own languages as well as English. Most conversations between two same language speakers generally occurs in that language but because of the many languages in Ghana, English is used as a language of communication. Many people speak several languages. Other Languages include by region: Dagaare[Upper West Region], Gurune[Upper East Region], Dagbane[Northern Region], Brong[Brong Ahafo Region], Asante[Ashanti Region], Ewe[Volta Region], Twi[Eastern Region], Fante[Central Region], Nzima[Western Region], Ga[Greater Accra Region].
Travel
The roads in Ghana are quite accessible especially from Accra where the International Airport is located. Transportation is available. The distance from Nsawam to Aburi is short and the road are quite available for travel. There is some bus transportation but not extensive within the city of Nsawam and many people have their own personal transportation to assist travelers. There is also transportation through taxi service.
Weather
The climate is tropical. The average low temperature in Ghana is 20 C (68 F) and the average high temperature is 30 C (86 F). Variation in temperature in the southeast ranges annually and daily are quite small. The coolest time of the year is between June and September when the main rainfall occurs. The minimum temperature in the southeast of Ghana where the Akuapim South District lies is 23 C (73 F).
Currency
The cedi is the official unit of currency in Ghana. One cedi is divided into one-hundred pesewas. The cedi is pegged to the dollar at 2000 cedis to a dollar. The cedi note denominations issued at present by the Bank of Ghana are 10 20 50 100 200 500 1000 2000 5000. Travelers are allowed by law to bring any amount of foreign exchange into the country. Currency can be changed at banks and financial institutions and at most hotels. There are several banking institutions in Nsawam and many in Accra.
Political
Ghana is a democracy. The Government is patterned after western style government, although there are some differences. Traditional cultural governing systems are respected and Chief and Queen mothers play a strong role in governing at the local level. At the national level their input is also utilized and the traditional system is well entrenched. The President also has the power to appoint some of the locally based leaders. The Akuapim South District has a chief Administrator and he has a governing body that strongly resembles the national system with departments of health, education, etc.
Education
Ghana's educational system was revised in 1987 to increase the number of students receiving primary schooling, whereas the government had previously placed greater emphasis upon secondary and university-level studies. The modifications of secondary and higher education have since resulted in improved technical and professional training and the multiplication of different categories of secondary schools in all of Ghana's ten administrative regions. In addition, a study is currently underway to determine the feasibility of construction a fourth state university in northern Ghana. The Akuapim South District has five nursery schools, 47 kindergarten schools, 90 primary schools, 41 junior secondary schools, five senior secondary school, a technical/vocational institution, an agricultural training college an a teacher training college. There are three major universities in other areas of Ghana. They are the University Of Ghana AT Legon near Accra, Achimota College and the University Of Science & Technology Mfantsipim School.
University of Ghana
The University of Ghana was established in 1948 as the University College of the Gold Coast, an affiliate college of the University of London. Following independence in 1957, the university was organized as the University of Ghana and, in 1961, began to award its own degrees. The university's outstanding lecturers and distinguished alumni have earned it considerable national and international prestige. It has seven Faculties made up of departments and has student population of about 7,000. Due to its excellent reputation, the university has a history of attracting foreign students, particularly students from the United States. The university is located on a park-like campus in Legon about 12 kilometers from the center of Accra, the capital.
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