KAWA MULTIMEDIA PUBLICATIONS
Industrial development in Ghana
A start on industrialisation has been made because the need and desire was there. The power source came with the Volta Dam, but there was initially a heavy price to pay for its construction, dealt with in more detail earlier.
Ghana had to agree to the construction of a foreign-owned aluminium smelter before finance for the dam was forth- coming. The smelter is highly automated and only employs 2500 Ghanaians. It cannot use Ghana's own large supplies of bauxite because there is no plant to first produce the alumina. However, getting the power source was most important.
to house the Vaico Smelter, twenty seven kilometres east of Accra. The deep offshore waters facilitated ships* usage of the new port which also had to be built to allow ships from the West Indies and Guinea to bring the huge supplies of alumina needed. New road and rail facilities open out from Tema to the rest of Ghana and gradually a new industrial complex has grown and developed using the power from the dam. Already there is an oil refinery, a textile factory, concrete manufacture, vehicle assembly, fish processing, an electronics industry and chocolate manufacture. Paint, chemicals, steel building materials, furniture and fertilizer factories are also concentrated round the focus of Tema and its new port.
It is sad that internal problems and drought have recently retarded Ghana's industrial development. Her Aya, Awas and Kibi bauxite deposits still await development and home processing. Civil unrest, Akosombo's low power output and a world recession have made this impossible so far. Ghana has the wish to industrialize, a basic raw material and some power. But do remember .that without coal and iron ore realty large development is difficult. Hope for the future lies in oil exploration. By 1983 the Bonsu field, discovered in 1977, was producing 4.5 million barrels daily: all used in Ghana. Optimistic exploration is currently taking place offshore at Assini, Axim and Keta. See Fig. 88. Who knows, oil could provide the power and raw material for a lift-off in Ghanaian industry.
Ghana had to agree to the construction of a foreign-owned aluminium smelter before finance for the dam was forth- coming. The smelter is highly automated and only employs 2500 Ghanaians. It cannot use Ghana's own large supplies of bauxite because there is no plant to first produce the alumina. However, getting the power source was most important.
to house the Vaico Smelter, twenty seven kilometres east of Accra. The deep offshore waters facilitated ships* usage of the new port which also had to be built to allow ships from the West Indies and Guinea to bring the huge supplies of alumina needed. New road and rail facilities open out from Tema to the rest of Ghana and gradually a new industrial complex has grown and developed using the power from the dam. Already there is an oil refinery, a textile factory, concrete manufacture, vehicle assembly, fish processing, an electronics industry and chocolate manufacture. Paint, chemicals, steel building materials, furniture and fertilizer factories are also concentrated round the focus of Tema and its new port.
It is sad that internal problems and drought have recently retarded Ghana's industrial development. Her Aya, Awas and Kibi bauxite deposits still await development and home processing. Civil unrest, Akosombo's low power output and a world recession have made this impossible so far. Ghana has the wish to industrialize, a basic raw material and some power. But do remember .that without coal and iron ore realty large development is difficult. Hope for the future lies in oil exploration. By 1983 the Bonsu field, discovered in 1977, was producing 4.5 million barrels daily: all used in Ghana. Optimistic exploration is currently taking place offshore at Assini, Axim and Keta. See Fig. 88. Who knows, oil could provide the power and raw material for a lift-off in Ghanaian industry.
Activity
QUESTION SIXTY FIVE
(a) Draw a sketch Map of Ghana. On it mark and name:
(i) The ports: Takoradi, Accra, Tema.
(ii) L. Volta, Akosombo Dam.
(iii) Bauxite, Iron ore, Gold, Salt, Diamonds, Coal and Manganese mining centres.
(iv) Towns; Sekondi, Tarkiva, Tamale, Kumasi and Cape Coast industrial area.
(b) Explain the factors that have led to the present level of industrialisation in Ghana.
(c) Outline the advantages of industries in Ghana.
(d) State five problems facing industries in Ghana.
Possible answers:
MAP OF GHANA SHOWING PORTS, MINING CENTRES, TOWNS AND DAMS
(b) Factors for Industrial Development;
i. Availability of H.E.P. generated from the Akasombo dam.
ii. Existence of a variety of minerals such as bauxite, oil, diamonds, gold, zinc, phosphates, coal, chrome, salt, manganese have led to industrial development.
iii. The improved transport and communication especially in southern region which has got railway lines and roads.
iv. The government consideration to the development of industries in the country.
v. The large markets offered by the people.
vi. The availability of agricultural raw materials due to Ghana's good climate have led to the development of agro-based secondary industries.
c) Advantages of Industries
i. Provision of foreign exchange.
ii. Creation of employment opportunities. Over 22,000 Ghanaians work in the gold mines.
iii. Development of the transport system i.e. roads and railways.
iv. Development and modernisation of ports such as Takoradi
v. The provision of the social infrastructure such as education, health and recreation grounds.
The problems are:
• Some minerals appear in small quantities.
• High costs on the importation of fuel.
• High cost on the imports of high value and price than exports.
• There is a serious problem of lack of capital.
• Lack of skilled labour.
(a) Draw a sketch Map of Ghana. On it mark and name:
(i) The ports: Takoradi, Accra, Tema.
(ii) L. Volta, Akosombo Dam.
(iii) Bauxite, Iron ore, Gold, Salt, Diamonds, Coal and Manganese mining centres.
(iv) Towns; Sekondi, Tarkiva, Tamale, Kumasi and Cape Coast industrial area.
(b) Explain the factors that have led to the present level of industrialisation in Ghana.
(c) Outline the advantages of industries in Ghana.
(d) State five problems facing industries in Ghana.
Possible answers:
MAP OF GHANA SHOWING PORTS, MINING CENTRES, TOWNS AND DAMS
(b) Factors for Industrial Development;
i. Availability of H.E.P. generated from the Akasombo dam.
ii. Existence of a variety of minerals such as bauxite, oil, diamonds, gold, zinc, phosphates, coal, chrome, salt, manganese have led to industrial development.
iii. The improved transport and communication especially in southern region which has got railway lines and roads.
iv. The government consideration to the development of industries in the country.
v. The large markets offered by the people.
vi. The availability of agricultural raw materials due to Ghana's good climate have led to the development of agro-based secondary industries.
c) Advantages of Industries
i. Provision of foreign exchange.
ii. Creation of employment opportunities. Over 22,000 Ghanaians work in the gold mines.
iii. Development of the transport system i.e. roads and railways.
iv. Development and modernisation of ports such as Takoradi
v. The provision of the social infrastructure such as education, health and recreation grounds.
The problems are:
• Some minerals appear in small quantities.
• High costs on the importation of fuel.
• High cost on the imports of high value and price than exports.
• There is a serious problem of lack of capital.
• Lack of skilled labour.