LyrArc Article Gist
Nkrumah led the independence movement in Africa and helped found the Organization for African Unity. Yet today few Ghanians know about him. He became the first president in 1957 and made himself president for life in 1964, was ousted in 1966. One of his legacies is that he left a strong sense of African unity and gave Ghana its early political foundation to remain a stable country in Africa, when other regions degenerated into war and civil strife.

LyrArc Article Gist
The pandemic, the economic management, and the surge in the US dollar is worsening the debt situation of countries in Africa. This DW.com report looks at Ghana and Zambia. The Ghana currency Cedi has lost 50% of its value in 2022. With every increase in the value of the US dollar in countries in Africa imports become costlier and business activity suffers. The result as shown in this report is the closing of many shops and parts of the market in Ghana's capital city Accra. Ghana and Zambia have raced to get IMF support as their debt condition deteriorates. Ghana began negotiations with the IMF at the end of September for a $3 billion bailout. The IMF approved $1.3 billion of the $8.4 billion that Zambia needs to restore its economy.

LyrArc Article Gist
Inflation of 40%, a currency that has collapsed, debt at $58 billion or 105% of GDP that takes up one third of the country's budget just for dept payments, this isn't some economically weak African country. This is Ghana today, similar to about 54 countries in the Global South in even worse shape. Just before the pandemic in 2018 it recorded 6% growth. It is an agriculturally rich country with cassava and plantain production, the second largest cocoa producer in the world, and and oil producer.  Ghana has accepted a $3 billion loan from the IMF. The pandemic hit Ghana hard, followed by the Ukraine war and costly oil imports as Ghana lacks refinery capacity. 

LyrArc Article Gist
Consider the number 76%. That is how many of the population of Ghana that are at risk of drinking contaminated water. Today March 22 is World Water Day. Ghana is one of Africa's better developed regions, which suggests that much of Africa is also at 76%, and it may also be true for much of Asia outside of China and now India with PM Modi's Jal Jeevan Mission, and for Latin America. Nothing could be more vital than water and it shows how little is known outside India of Jal Jeevan and what it does for 1.4 billion people, that it does not get mentioned in UNESCO's report. Behind this is the will and tenacity and a belief that it can be done that clean tap water can reach every household in India once resources are set aside to do it and it is executed on time.

LyrArc Article Gist
Elections in Ghana with 2 technocrats vying for the vote. With new oil discovered in Ghana additional revenues of $10 billion may be generated according to government estimates. Ghana is one of the few African countries with a long history of democratic processes.

LyrArc Article Gist
The judicial system shows its independence from political parties in Ghana as it affirms the election of president John Mahama by 325,863 votes out of 11 million votes cast. Both political parties accept the court's verdict after 6 months of daily televised hearings. This is seen as a victory for the maturing process of democracy in Ghana.

LyrArc Article Gist
The amazing story of 15 million tons of clothing coming to Ghana each week with 40% of this ending up in landfills and in water, polluting ecosystems, because of the poor quality of clothing, is shown in DW.com's Science section. Even a relatively developed country with awareness about ecology faces such a problem today. The good intentions of western consumers are not working, with more rags ending up in landfills causing environmental damage in Africa. A recent report showed this ending up as far away as the Atacama desert in Chile. When this stuff ends up on beaches and in the water it causes damage the way the indiscriminate use of plastics has already done.

LyrArc Article Gist
Efforts in Ghana to use locally available materials such as clay, laterite and granite chippings to build affordable housing. Ghan needs 2 million new houses per year. A prototype one room house would cost $5000. Solar pumps developed by German engineers are used to cool the home and make it eco-friendly. 

LyrArc Article Gist
Argentina has faced repeated bouts of very high inflation. In this episode it joins countries such as Turkey, Sri Lanka, Ghana and others.

LyrArc Article Gist
This report in The Times shows how Africa is tackling malaria by using modern methods such as drones. Drones are used in Ghana to send medicine to remote parts of the country. The rollout of the world's first malaria vaccine is taking place in Malawi, Ghana and Kenya. The Glaxo developed vaccine requires 4 doses over 18 months. Gavi is a partnership that brings UNICEF and WHO in partnership with private companies to  buy vaccines in bulk and distribute them where it is not affordable. Gavi supported 66 million vaccines in 2018 for children, yet about 20 million children in Nigeria, Congo and other parts of Africa lacked routine immunizations in 2018. UPS and health service workers are joining in the effort for administering this vaccine correctly.  Software that tracks the taking of the vaccines by children is essential for success and this is being implemented with Ghanian authorites. This report shows how it is done in Dateng, Ghana, a town of 800 people 3 hour drive from Accra.  ...

LyrArc Article Gist
Footballers from Ghana, Nigeria and West Africa excel in 2024 at Euro Cup in Germany. Saka plays for England, Nico Williams and Lamine Yamal for Spain.