The tourism sector is Ghana’s third biggest foreign exchange earner.

he nation that was once called the Gold Coast is now poised to enter a new era driven by the government’s vision for a ‘Golden Age of Business’. The west African country of Ghana has huge potential, and its 18-month-old government has already made considerable headway in tackling the country’s most pressing needs.
Leaders of industry and commerce are regaining their confidence as interest rates and inflation fall, and as trade opportunities open up in the huge market of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS). Ghana believes it can be the gateway to the region, providing its landlocked neighbors with safe trade routes through its ports.

The country is rich in mineral resources, such as gold, manganese, diamonds and bauxite and there is huge potential in agriculture and fisheries. Under the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA), trade links are being developed with the United States.

Tourism is also seen as a good investment. The industry is now the third biggest foreign exchange earner, after cocoa and gold, and is set to expand.
The government is determined to reduce unemployment and bring its citizens closer to the global economic mainstream.

	John Kufuor President of Ghana
Building a model society through respect for human rights and the rule of law

Ghana looks set to achieve a five percent annual growth rate over the next few years and emerge as a middle-income nation within 20 years.
“We are building a model society through respect for human rights, the rule of law and good governance to deliver a shining example to the rest of the world,” says President John Kufuor.

“But without continuous investment our enterprises will not be able to compete in the global economy. With this in mind, my government has put in place various policies, programs and projects to help the private sector perform.”
Certainly, the international donor community is putting its faith in Ghana, which is described by one minister as an island of peace in a sea of turmoil. If the government’s macro-economic policies work, then Ghana will surely be looking at the beginning of a golden age.