FORM THREE.

FIRST TERM
STRAND 1

SIGNIFICANCE OF SOME NATURAL FEATURES OF THE EARTH

Teaching and learning objectives

After learning this chapter, you should be able to:
[Link] the solar system
[Link] the major structures of the earth
[Link] the types of rainfall
[Link] the various geographical divisions into which the world is categorized.
[Link] and locate the continents and oceans of the world.

FACTS TO REMEMBER:
1. The path taken by a planet around a star is called Orbit.

2. A body that orbits a star is called a Planet.

3.A moon or a body that orbits a planet is called a Satellite.

4. The star around which the nine planets revolve including the earth is known as the
Sun.
5. The time taken by a planet to orbit the sun is known as a year.

6. The sun is a star.

7.A mass of burning gases in space giving out light and heat is called a Star.

8. The name given to the natural satellite to the earth is known as Moon.

[Link] galaxy within which the solar system lies is called The Milky Way.

[Link] stars belong to a giant galaxy called the Milky Way.

[Link] speed at which a planet moves in orbit is dependent on its distance from the
Sun.
12. An obscuring of the moon by the earth's shadow is known as Eclipse of the moon.
13. An obscuring of the sun by the moon's shadow is known as Eclipse of the sun.

14. Small bodies orbiting around the sun between the orbits of Jupiter and Mars
called Asteroid.

15. Avery large group of stars is called Galaxy.

16. The smallest planet is called Mercury.

17. The biggest planet is called Jupiter.

18. The nearest planet to the sun is Mercury.

19. The only satellite to the earth is the moon.

20. The smallest, fastest and hottest planet is called mercury.

21. The farthest planet away from the sun is called Neptune.

22. Pluto was excluded from the planets by the International Astronomical Union
(IAU) in Prague, Czech Republic on 24th August, 2006.

23. The solar system consists of the sun, the eight planets and their satellites.
24. The earth's rotation causes (i). day and night (ii). differences in time
(iii). deflection of winds and ocean currents.

25. The earth's revolution plus the permanent tilt of the earth's axis causes:
(i). Changes in the altitude of the midday sun from day to day.
(ii). Changes in the length of day and night from day to day and.
(iii). The season.

26. Day equals night throughout the year along the equator.

27. At the equinoxes, day has the same length as night. That is on n 21st March and
23rd September, all parts of the earth have equal day and equal night.

28. Day reaches its maximum length on 21st June in the Northern hemisphere on
22nd December in the Southern hemisphere.
29. A fold mountain range may form when two continental plates approach each
other.

30. When plates move apart beneath a continent, a rift valley may form.

31. Magma is forced to the sea floor when two oceanic plates diverge. The magma
forms a new crust.

32. Vertical earth movements cause faulting and the landforms produced are plateaus,
block mountains, basins and escarpments.

33. Lateral earth movements cause folding, producing fold mountains, rift valleys and
block mountains.

34. Volcanic eruptions give rise externally to volcanoes, lava plains and lava
plateaus.

35. Volcanic eruptions give rise internally to batholiths, sills and dykes.

36. Large masses of volcanic rocks often form the "roots" of fold mountains. This
volcanic rock masses are called batholith.

37. Some mountains owe their origin mainly to denudation. Such mountains are
called residual mountains.

38. During movements within the earth's crust, some areas may be uplifted to form
tectonic plateaus, and others may be depressed to form basins.
39. There are three types of major landforms. They are (i). Mountains
(ii). Plateaus and (iii). Plains

40. An intrusion of magma along a bedding plane is called sill.

THE SOLAR SYSTEM.

The Solar System consists of the sun and the eight/ nine planets.
It also includes the moon, stars, Comets and satellites. Names of Planets in the Solar
System are: Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune. Pluto

NB: On 24th August 2006, about 3000 Astronomers forming the International
Astronomical Union (|AU) met in Prague in the Czech Republic to consider whether
Pluto should be regarded as a Planet or not. It was agreed at the meeting that for a
heavenly body to qualify as a planet, it must have the following features:

i. It must be in orbit around a star and not be a star itself.

ii It must be massive enough to be a: sphere by its own gravitational force.

iii., It must have cleared the neighbourhood around its orbit.

They excluded Pluto from the Planets because Pluto failed to meet tall these features.
So Pluto was considered as "Trans-Neptunian Object' or minor planet. This shows
that now we have eight (8) | Planets in n the solar system instead of Nine (9).

THE EARTH AS A PLANET.

The solar system consists of the sun and the nine planets. It also includes the m
stars, comets and satellites. The planets revolve around or go around the
elliptical orbits. The planets do not produce light on their own. So the light of the sun
falls on each of the planets and the planets reflect this light. So all the energy of the
solar system is derived from the sun.

OTHER HEAVENLY BODIES.

i. Satellites: Satellites are smaller heavenly bodies that revolve around the planets.
Eg. The moon is a natural satellite to the earth.

ii. Asteroids: These are small bodies orbiting around the sun between the orbits of
Jupiter and Mars.

iii. Comets: They are star-like nucleus with shiny mass around it. A comet has a
bright tail streaming away from the sun.
iv. Meteors: These are shiny star-like bodies that may enter the earth's
atmosphere with great speed. They change into gas before reaching the ground.
Meteors are sometimes referred to as fireballs or shooting stars.

V. Stars: Stars are dense clouds of very hot glowing gases. A group of stars b
called galaxy. The study of stars is called Astronomy. Our stars belong to a giant
galaxy called the Milky Way.

As can be seen below most of the planets have small celestial bodies called satellites
orbit around them.

Figure showing how the Sun and the nine Planets form the Solar System

Each planet takes a different amount of time to complete one orbit around the sun or
goes round the sun because their distances from the sun changes. Eg. The earth
Completes its orbit in 365* days which means one year is 365" days. Mercury
Completes its orbit in 88 days which means one year in mercury is 88 days.

The table below shows the distance of the planets from the sun and the number of
days and years they take to go round the sun.
 Planets Distance from the Distance from the Number of days
sun in miles sun in kilometres to go round the
sun

1st Mercury 36,000,000 57,600,000 88 days

2nd Venus 67,000,000 107,200,000 225 days
3rd Earth 93,000,000 148,800,000 365 days
4th Mars 142,000,000 227,200,000 686.9 days
5th Jupiter 483,000,000 772,800,000 11.86 years
6th Saturn 886,000,000 1,417,600,000 29 years
7th Uranus 1,784,000,000 2,854,400,000 84 years
8th Neptune 2,793,000,000 4,468,800,000 164 years
9th Pluto 3,660,000,000 5,850,000,000 248.42 years

ECLIPSE.

Eclipse, in astronomy, is the obscuring of one celestial body by another. There are
many celestial bodies that cause eclipses. The ones that affect the people on this Earth
involve planetary bodies.
1. The Mood.
2. The Sun.

TYPES OF ECLIPSE.
There are two kinds of eclipses
[Link] of the Mood or Lunar Eclipse: Occurs when the Earth comes between the
Sun and the Mood, and its shadow darkens the Mood’s face.
LUNAR ECLIPSE.
ii. Eclipse of the sun (Solar eclipse)
Eclipse of the sun occurs when the MOON comes between the SUN and the
EARTH. The moon covers the sun's light from reaching the earth. This causes
darkness on the earth during the day time.

SOLAR ECLIPSE.
Note: The moon is a satellite to the earth.
The moon takes about 28 days to revolve about the earth.

THE MOVEMENT OF THE EARTH.

The earth has two movements. That is, the earth moves in two ways which are:
i. Rotation on its axis
ii. Revolution
So the earth does not stand at one place. While turning on its axis from West to East,
it also goes round the sun.
THE TWO MOVEMENTS OF THE EARTH: REVOLUTION AND ROTATION
OF THE EARTH.

THE ROTATION OF THE EARTH.

[Link] turning of the earth on its own axis is called rotation.
[Link] earth rotates on its axis from West to East.
[Link] earth makes one complete rotation in every 24 hours (one day).
[Link] earth turns round its own circumference of 360 once every 24 hours.

EFFECTS OF THE ROTATION OF THE EARTH.

i The rotation of the earth results in day and night:

The rotation of the earth results in day and night. As the earth rotates, areas that face
the sun are illuminated by it so they have day light. On the same way areas that are
shielded away from the sun's rays have night or darkness.

ii The rotation of the earth causes differences in local time:

The rotation of the earth results in differences in local time between places. There are
24 hrs in each day starting from the international Date line or Longitude 180° East
and West starting on the international Date line the world is divided into 24 belts or
time Zones.

iii The rotation of the earth causes daily rising and falling of tides:
As the earth rotates on its axis, it leads to a rise in the tides of the sea. So the volume
of water in the ocean is determined by the rotation of the earth on its axis and the
position of the sun. The volume of water reduces and fall during the day and
increases or rise during the night.

iv The rotation of the earth results in deflection of winds and ocean currents
The rotation of the Earth results in deflection of winds and ocean currents. The
deflection makes all winds and ocean currents moving from the North pole towards
the South pole to be deflected towards the East right. All winds and ocean Current
moving from the South pole also deflects towards the West left. This is called
Coriolis Effect.

V. The rotation of the earth results in twilight and dawn:

The rotation of the Earth results in twilight and dawn. That is, sun sets and sun rises
at the beginning and end of day and night.

vi The rotation of the earth causes the salinity of the Ocean:

The rotation of the earth also causes the salinity of the ocean. It results in the mixture
of salt and water in the sea.
HOW THE ROTATION OF THE EARTH CAUSES DAY AND NIGHT
(WITH THE AID OF DIAGRAMS EXPLAIN HOW THE ROTATION OF
THE EARTH CAUSES DAY AND NIGHT).

Because the earth's shape is spherical ie it is round like an egg, the sun does not shine
uniformly over all its parts at the same time. Only one half of it receives the: sun's
rays at any given time. The side of the earth which faces the sun experiences day
while the other side which is not facing the sun experiences night. Because the earth
is always turning round on its axis, every part of it experiences day and night, or light
and darkness in turns.

15ͦ
ii. Time difference 15ͦ
=¿ 1 hr
iii. Nigeria is to the east of Ghana so we add, 6:00+ 1 hr = 7:00 am.

Example 2
What will be the time on longitude 45° east when it is 9:00 am on longitude 15° East?

Solution
i. Longitude difference = 45°E -15°E=30°
ii. Time difference = 30°
15
= 2hrs.

iii. Long 45° E means we have to add since we are moving towards the east.
Therefore, the time in longitude 45° E will be 9:00+ 2 hrs = 11 am.

THE REVOLUTION OF THE EARTH

i. The movement of the earth round the sun is called revolution.

ii. The earth revolves round the sun from west to east direction.

iii. The path the earth takes to go round the sun is called Orbit.

iv. The earth makes one complete revolution in 365% days.

v. Every four years is called a leap year (366 days). That is, every four years the earth
goes round the sun in 366 days.

vi. The earth travels in an elliptical orbit round the sun.

vii. While travelling, its axis is tilted 66½° to the earth's orbital plane.

EFFECTS OF THE REVOLUTION OF THE EARTH

i. The revolution of the earth causes the four Seasons: The revolution of the Earth
results in the four seasons (winter, spring, summer and autumn) of the temperate zone
or wet and dry seasons in the tropics.
ii The revolution of the earth determines year /Leap year: The revolution of the
earth determines the number of days in a year. The earth takes 365 1/4 days to
revolve around the sun but in a leap year it takes 366 days to make one revolution.

iii The revolution of the earth brings about varying length of Day and Night: The
revolution brings about the varying or changing length of day and night at
different times of the year.

iv The revolution of the earth brings about changes in altitude of the mid-day
sun: The revolution brings about differences in the altitudes of the mid-day sun at
different times of the year.

[Link] revolution of the earth brings about changes in seasonal temperature: The
revolution of the Earth causes the changes in seasonal temperature all around the
world.

vi The revolution of the earth causes Equinoxes:

Equinoxes means equal day and night. They occur twice in year. Equinox happens
when the axis of rotation of the earth is exactly parallel to the direction of the motion
of the earth around the sun. This is caused by the revolution of the earth.

THE SEASONS
As has been said earlier on, the revolution of the earth and inclination of the earth's
axis bring about the four seasons of the world. i.e They bring about changes in the
length of day and night in different parts of the world at different times.
The answers to the questions below will help to understand this well.

a. Draw the earth at four positions to show its movement round the sun.
b. Show the path of the orbit with broken lines.

c. Use an arrow to show the direction of the earth's movement along the orbit.

d. Write the four seasons at the correct positions of the earth.

Solution: Below is a diagram showing the revolution of the earth and the seasons.
With the help of your answers above, explain how the four seasons occur.
 DIAGRAM FOR SEASONS

WHAT CAUSES THE FOUR SEASONS?

As the Earth orbits the sun, the amount of sunshine on different parts of the earth's
surface changes, which results in four different seasons. These four seasons are
Spring, Summer, Autumn and Winter.

However, the revolution of the Earth alone does not cause the seasons. They are also
influenced by the inclination of the earth's axis. Therefore, these two factors, the
revolution of the earth and the inclination of the earth's axis cause the four seasons.
You remember that the earth is not upright but is tilted or bent to one side on its axis.
You also remember that the earth revolves around the sun once every year that is
365¹4 days.

HOW THE FOUR SEASONS COME ABOUT.

From the diagram, at point 1 most parts of the Northern hemisphere are tilted towards
the sun while the Southern hemisphere is tilted away from the sun. Again, the area of
daylight in the Northern hemisphere is greater than the area of darkness. You will
also notice that the area covered by darkness becomes smaller as one moves away
from the equator northwards, until the whole of the Arctic circle is in daylight. The
opposite occurs in the Southern hemisphere. This means, from the equator
southwards, the area of daylight becomes smaller until the Antarctic circle as a whole
is in darkness.
You can see that the Southern hemisphere, which is turned away from the sun,
experiences longer night and shorter days. On the other hand, the Northern
hemisphere which is tilted towards the sun experiences longer hours of day and
shorter hours of night. The longer hours of daylights bring about high temperatures
over the Northern hemisphere while the shorter hours of daylights bring about low
temperatures over the Southern hemisphere. The season or period of long hours of
daylight with high temperatures is called summer.

Summer occurs in the months of May, June and July in the Northern hemisphere. At
mid-summer, that is on 21st June, there is 24 hours of continuous daylight in the
Arctic circle. On this day, the sun does not set.
When it is summer in the North, the people of the Southern hemisphere experience a
season of very cold condition called winter. So when it is summer in Europe in May,
June and July, the people in Australia in the Southern hemisphere experience winter.
At mid-winter, that is on 21st June, the Antarctic circle experiences 24 hours of
continuous darkness. Point 1 in the diagram alone is shown above.

At point III it is summer period for the people of the Southern hemisphere and winter
for the Northern hemisphere. This is because the Southern hemisphere is now tilted
towards the sun. Therefore, the people in these areas now experience longer days and
shorter nights. Temperatures are therefore high. So when the people of Australia
experience summer in December, January and February, it is winter in Europe.

On 22nd December, that is mid-summer in the Southern hemisphere, the Antarctic

circle has 24 hours of daylight and the Arctic circle has 24 hours of darkness.

At point II and IV, the sun's rays shine vertically overhead on the equator. What this
means is that the sun is seen directly overhead on the equator when it is 12 o'clock
noon. When this happens, each half of the earth has equal hours of day and night.
The situation of equal days and nights takes place on 21st March and 23r September
each year. On these two days, all parts of the earth have equal days and equal nights.
These year days are referred to as equinoxes.

From the equinoxe at point II, equal hours of day and night, the Southern hemisphere
during this period is gradually being turned towards the sun. As this happens, the
Southern hemisphere experiences increasing hours of day and decreasing hours of
night. This happens until point III where the Antarctic circle experiences 24 hours of
daylight on 22nd December.

As this happens, the people of the Southern hemisphere are beginning to experience
warm weather between points I and II, while those in the Northern hemisphere are
beginning to experience cold weather till they reach mid-winter at point III.
 The season between summer and winter is called autumn. Autumn occurs in August,
September and October in the Northern hemisphere. This same period is a season
called spring in the Southern hemisphere.
Finally, between points III and I, those in the Southern hemisphere are gradually
turned away from the sun. Because of this, they experience fewer hours of day and
more hours of night. At this same period, those in the Northern hemisphere are
entering a season of longer days and shorter nights. This happens till at points IV
when the whole earth has equal hours of day and night on 21st March. This occurs in
February, March and April.

The season between winter and summer in the Northern hemisphere is spring and this
same period is Autumn in the Southern hemisphere. It is important to note that
Winter, Spring and Autumn are not noticeable very well in the tropics because the
sun shines for almost 12 hours everyday. However, the four seasons are very
noticeable in the temperate regions.

The changing attitudes of the midday sun at different times of the year
1. The sun is vertically overhead on the tropic of cancer on......21st June.

2. The North Pole receives 24 hours of sunlight when the sun is overhead on the.....
Tropic of cancer.

3. When the sun is overhead on the Tropic of Capricorn, areas in the Southern
hemisphere experience.... summer.

4. On June 21st, the sun is directly overhead at noon at the... Tropic of cancer.

5. How many times in a year is the sun vertically overhead at the equator? Twice (21 st
March and 23rd September).

Let's use the explanations and the diagrams below to deepen our understanding
of the above questions and answers.
1. On 21st June, the sun is overhead at midday along the Tropic of Cancer (Lat
23½°N). This is called the summer solstice. When this happens, people in the
Northern hemisphere have 24 hours of continuous daylight.

While those in the Southern hemisphere have 24 hours of continuous darkness as

shown below.
2. Three (3) months later, on 23rd September, the sun is directly overhead at midday
along the equator. This is called equinoxe; the sun reaches this position for the second
time on 21st March. So the sun is vertically overhead the equator twice
each year. That is, 23rd September and 21st March as shown below.
3. On 22nd December, the sun is overhead at midday along the Tropic of Capricorn
(Lat 23 S). This is called the winter solstice. When this happens, areas in the
Southern hemisphere experience summer as shown below.

a. What is the structure of the Earth made up

of?

b. Draw and label the structure of the Earth.

c. Describe briefly each of the parts of the

structure of the Earth.

a. The earth is made up of the core, the mantle, the crust, the oceans and sea
(hydrosphere) and the air
which surrounds the earth known as the Atmosphere. About 75% of the earth's
surface is covered by water (Hydrosphere).
Below is a diagram showing the structure of the Earth.

THE CORE
This is the innermost part of the earth. Its radius is 3,476km. The core is divided into
two: inner core and outer core. The temperature of the core is 1927° C. The innercore
is solid and the outer core is liquid. The core is made up of two minerals:
Nickel and iron.
THE MANTLE.
It is the layer next after the core.
The thickness of the mantle is 2900 km. The Mantle is made up of heavy rocks.

THE CRUST.
It is the outermost layer of the earth. Its thickness is not uniform. It is the part on
which We live. It has two layers. They are: Upper layer and lower layer. The upper
layer is made up of lighter rocks mainly silica and aluminium (SIAL) and the lower
layer is made up of lighter rocks mainly silica and aluminium (SIAL) and the lower
layer is made up of heavy rocks mainly silica and Magnesium (SIMA).

Rocks: Rocks are the solid parts of the earth's surface e.g. sand, clay, stones etc.

CHARACTERISTICS OF ROCKS
Rocks can be described as:
i. Hard: When it is difficult to break by agents of erosion eg. gneiss.
ii. Soft: When it is easily broken by agents of erosion eg. limestone

iii. Permeable: When it allows water to pass through them eg. sand and loam.

iv. Impermeable: When it does not allow water to pass through them eg. Clay and
slate.

v. Soluble: That is, it is easily dissolved by rain water eg. limestone.

vi. Colours: Rocks have different colours such as grey, white, black, brown and red.

TYPES OF ROCKS
There are three major types of rocks which make up the earth's surface. They are
grouped according to how they have been formed. The three main types of rocks are:
igneous rocks, sedimentary rocks and metamorphic rocks.

1. IGNEOUS ROCKS: Igneous rocks are formed by the cooling of molten materials
from the hot recesses of the earth. That is, igneous rocks are formed from molten
rocks known as Magma. The magma may come out when a crack develops in the
earth's crust and reaches the outer core of the mantle.

The magma is forced through the crack to the surface of the earth and are cooled
and hardened to form igneous rocks. When the magma reaches the surface of the
earth, it is called LAVA. There are two types of igneous rocks.

i. Volcanic rocks: These are formed when the liquid magma comes to the surface
and is cooled and hardened. Eg. Basalt.

ii. Plutonic rocks: These are formed when the magma does not reach the
su8rface of the earth but cools and become hard below the surface of the earth
.Eg. Granite, gabbro and diorite.

NB: Most parts of the earth's crust are made up of igneous rocks.

2. SEDIMENTARY ROCKS: They are formed by layers of sediments transported

by rain or wind to an area over a period of time. That is, when erosion or wind breaks
down rocks and deposits them at places, the broken down rocks are deposited in
layers called strata and are pressed down to form hard rocks. Sedimentary rocks are
divided into three groups:

i. Mechanical Sedimentary rocks: These are formed when smaller particles of

rocks are eroded from larger rocks and are deposited elsewhere.
ii. Organic Sedimentary rocks: These are formed from parts of plants and sea
animals or the remains of living things gathered for a long period. Eg. Chalk,
limestone and coal.

iii. Chemical Sedimentary rocks: These are formed from the evaporation of
liquids which contain minerals leaving only the minerals on the surface of the
earth. Eg. Rocks salt, potash and certain limestones.

3. METAMORPHIC ROCKS: These are formed when igneous and sedimentary

rocks receive pressure and heat from the sun changing them completely.
All the underlined rocks above are examples of metamorphic rocks. They are harder
than the original rocks.
EXAMPLE
Clay Changes to Slate
Limestone Changes to Marble
Sandstone Changes to Quartzite
Shale Changes to Schist
Coal Changes to Graphite
Granite Changes to Gneiss

USES OR IMPORTANCE OF ROCKS

i. Tourist attraction: The shapes and layers of some rocks are so wonderful and
beautiful that they sometimes serve as areas of tourist attraction. Eg. The umbrella
rock at Boti, Mountains in Kenya etc.

ii. Building and construction: Hard rocks like igneous and metamorphic rocks
are used in building houses, construction of bridges, dams, roads, seaports etc.

iii. As parent material for soil formation: Rocks are weathered or broken down
to produce soil on which our agriculture depends.

iv. As source of precious minerals: Important minerals like gold and diamond
are obtained from rocks.

V. Source of fuel and power: Petroleum, coal and natural gas which serve
fuel for ships, train, aircraft etc are obtained from rocks.

vi. As source of salt: Some rocks contain salt which are mined for domestic use
eg. the rocks mined at Daboya in Northern Ghana.

vii. Source of water: Our source of underground water supply depends largely on
the nature of rocks eg. springs, wells etc have rocks as their sources.
viii. Source of raw materials: Eg. Marble is raw material for sculpturing, limestone
is a raw material for the manufacture of cement.

THE MAJOR STRUCTURES OF THE EARTH

The earth's surface is covered with both large and small features. These major
features such as mountains, plateaus and plains have been formed by the earth's
movements. The major physical features are called Landforms. In other words,
landforms refer to the large surface features of the earth such as mountains, plateaus
and plains. All these landforms are produced by tectonic activities. We also have
volcanic landforms which are produced by movement of molten rocks called Magma
in the earth's crust. In other words, the earth's movement within and below the crust
produces landforms. This is because the earth's movement causes rocks to fold and
fault. The major landforms can be grouped into three types.

These are: (i) mountains (ii) plateaus and (iii) plains

WHAT ARE THE FORCES THAT PRODUCE THESE LANDFORMS?

i Lateral Movements: These are sideward movements which cause rocks to fold
creating fold mountains and rift valleys.

ii Vertical Movements: These are the up and down movements which produce
features like block mountains, plateaus and basins.

iii External Forces: External forces like erosion etc also cause landforms eg.
residual mountains.

Mountains: A mountain is a type of landform which is higher in elevation as

to the surrounding land eg. Afadjato in Ghana.

There are four main types of mountains. They are:

i. Fold mountains
ii. Block mountains
iii. Mountains of accumulation (Volcanos)
iv. Residual mountains

I. FOLD MOUNTAINS: These are formed when continental plates collide or move
towards each other. The sedimentary rocks between them may be folded and
pushed up into fold mountains. They are formed by compressional forces. They
are the highest and most impressive of all mountains. Eg. of fold mountains in
Ghana are the Akwapim Hills.
 DIAGRAM OF FOLD MOUNTAIN.

ii. Block Mountain: These are mountains formed as a result of tension and
Compression.

FORMATION OF BLOCK MOUNTAIN.

When two parallel faults develop on the earth's surface, the land between the parallel
faults remains as it is while the land on either side of the faults may sink or subside,
The central block now standing up becomes the block mountain or Horst.
In simple terms Block mountains are formed by faulting which causes part of the land
to either sink or rise. The raised land with tilting is called block mountain.

THE FORMATION OF BLOCK MOUNTAIN.

[Link] of accumulation or Volcanic mountains: Mountains of accumulation
are also called volcanoes. They consist of material that has been forced out of the
earth's crust by volcanic eruptions. That is, they are mountains formed by lava which
emerges through a vent or hole which usually builds up a volcano, that is cone-
shaped mound. Eg. Mountain Kenya and Mountain Kilimanjaro.

iv. Residual mountains (Erosion): These are mountains which owe their origin
mainly to denudation (erosion). That is, the continuous or prolonged denudation
(erosion) lowers mountains and other landforms by removing the weaker rocks, but
the more resistant rocks that remain are called residual mountains. This is shown
below.

A RIFT VALLEY (GRABEN)

A rift valley is a depression between two mountains. It can also be defined as a long
narrow and very deep depression caused by vertical and horizontal movements in the
earth crust.
 FORMATION OF A RIFT VALLEY.
A rift valley is formed when two parallel faults develop in the earth's crust, the land
between the faults remains as it is while the land on either side of the parallel faults
rises up leaving the middle block low lying Or the land between two parallel faults
may sink while the land on either side are found at a higher level creating a rift
valley. This is explained by the forces of tension and compression on the next page.

1. The tension theory: This suggests that the forces of tension produce faults and
that the crust between two parallel faults subsides and produces a rift valley. This is
shown below:
[Link] compression theory: This suggests that the forces of compression also i
produce faults and that when these are parallel, the crust on the outside of the
faults rides up and partially over the crust between the faults hence producing a rift
valley.
 Formation of rift valley by compression.

iii. Plateaus: A plateau is a highland with a wide flat surface. It has steep sides. The
three types of plateau are (a). Tectonic plateaus (b). Lava plateaus
(c). Dissected plateaus.

i. Tectonic plateaus: This is formed by the up and down movement of the earth
which causes the crustal rocks to fault. In other words, the warping of the earth
crust results in the uplift of some areas and the depression of others. The uplifted
areas of level or undulating land form plateaus called Tectonic plateaus and the
depressed areas are called basins. This is shown in the figure below.

ii. Lava Plateaus: Magma sometimes reaches the surface rocks. If lava emerges
from a fissure, it may build up a lava plain or lava plateaus. This is explained
under volcanicity.

VOLCANIC LANDFORMS
Volcanicity refers to the movement of magma into the earth crust or onto its surface.
It also refers to the various ways by which magma (molten rocks and gases below the
surface) are forced into the earth crust and onto its surface. The products of
volcanicity are (i) internal: dykes, sills and batholiths and (ii) external: lava plateaus,
volcanoes geysers and hot springs.
Most magma contain gases which are under great pressure. As the way into magma
rises, it forces its the cracks (faults) of the crust. The magma may contain a lot of
gases, especially steam, then as the magma approaches the surface, the pressure on
the gases is reduced. This causes the gases to expand quickly which gives rise to
violent explosion killing everything in its path.

Sometimes the magma may stay in the crust where it solidifies and form batholiths,
sills and dykes. The magma that reaches the surface loses its gases and it is called
lava.

VOLCANIC FEATURES FORMED IN THE CRUST

As we said earlier on, volcanic features formed in the crust are batholiths, sills and
dykes.
1. Batholith: This is a large mass of magma which accumulates in the earth crust i.e.
volcanic rocks pushed their way into the base of fold mountains where they solidified
to form batholith. Batholiths are made of granite and they form surface features only
after subsequent erosion and removal of the overlying folded sedimentary rocks.
2. Sill: This is an intrusion of magma along a bedding plane. This means that when a
sheet of magma lies along bedding plane, the structure that is formed is called a sill.

3. Dykes: This is a wall-like feature that is formed when a mass of magma cuts across
bedding planes. Some dykes are easily eroded to form a depression while others resist
erosion to form a low ridge of mountains.

VOLCANIC FEATURES FORMED ON THE SURFACE OF THE CRUST.

1. When magma reaches at the surface it is called lava.
2. Magma sometimes emerges at the surface through a fissure (crack) or a vent (hole)
in the surface rocks.
3. The channel through which the lava rises is called the pipe.
4. The exit of the pipe is called the crater.
5. If lava emerges from a fissure or crack, it may build up a lava plain or a lava
plateau.
6. On the other hand, if lava emerges through a vent or hole, it builds up a volcano
which is a cone-shaped mound. All these features are shown below.

VENT (HOLE) ERUPTION AND THE TYPES OF VOLCANOES THEY

FORM.
When lava emerges through a vent (hole), it usually builds up a volcano which is
cone-shaped mound. The mound of a volcano is called the cone. This cone may
either consist of lava or a mixture of lava and rocks torn from the crust. lt may also
consist of ash and cinders. Cinders are small fragments of lava.
FISSURE (CRACKS) ERUPTIONS AND THE LANDFORMS THEY
PRODUCE.
If lava emerges from a fissure (crack), it may build up a lava plain or a lava plateau.
The lava emerges from the crack very quietly. It spreads out over the surrounding
places and continues outpouring cause layer upon layer to form. The layers of lava
forms level feature called lava plateau.

THE MAJOR RELIEF FEATURES.

[Link] / highlands
ii. Valleys
ii. Plateau
iv. Plains
V. Lowland

RELIEF FEATURES OR LANDFORMS IN CONTOURS.

1. Spur
i. A spur is that part of a highland which comes out into a lowland.
OR A spur is a projection of highland into lower ground. Usually, it separates one
valley from another.

2. A ridge
i. A ridge is a long, narrow highland or hill with slopes running down from both
sides. or
ii. A ridge is a strip of highlands which is elongated and narrow.

I. An escarpment is a hill which has a steep slope on one side and a gentle slope u
the other side. The steep slope is known as the scarp slope and the gentle slope
known as the dip slope.
or
i. An escarpment is a landform with sides sloping in opposite directions consisting
steep slope and a more gentle slope.
4. A valley is a low narrow lying ground between two highland areas. A river may
flow in a valley.

5. A conical hill is a hill which looks like a cone. It is wide at the ground but narrow
and pointed at the top.

6.A plateau is a highland with a wide flat surface. It has steep sides.
7. A col
A col is a stretch of land which is lower than and which separates two highland areas.
On a ridge or a range two peaks will be separated by a col.
or
i. A col is a marked depression in a line of mountains or hills.
or
ii. A col is a dip in a skyline between two peaks.

THE FOUR METHODS FOR SHOWING RELIEF FEATURES ON MAPS

ARE:
i. Spot height: Spot heights are dots with figures written against them on mane
show the height of a particular point above sea level eg.•150.

ii. Contour: They are lines drawn on maps to show places of equal heights above san
level. The closer the contours, the steeper the slope and the wider the contours the
gentler the slope eg.
iii. Hachures: They are short thick lines drawn on map to show the direction of flow
of water from a higher ground to a lower ground.

iv. Trigonometrical points/station: These are like the spot heights. They are points
on the ground which have been measured above accurately. They are indicated in
map by a triangle with a dot in it and figures written by their sides such as 20.

V. Layer Colouring: It is where different colours are used to show differences

heights as shown by sheltered contours eg. blue is used for water bodies, brown
highlands, green for lowlands and pink and white for very highlands.

TYPES OF SLOPES.
There are four main types of slopes. They are gentle slope, steep slope, concave slope
and convex slope. The interval between contours shows the gradient or slope of the
land. The closer the contours, the steeper the slope and the wider the contours, the
gentle the slope.

Gentle slope: The contours of a gentle slope are spaced wide apart or they are
widely spaced.

Concave slope: The contours are widely spaced in the lower part and
more closely spaced in the upper part of the slope.
Steep slope: The contours are spaced close to each other.

Convex slope: The contours are closely spaced in the lower part of the
slope and more widely spaced in the upper/ higher part.

HOW RAIN IS FORMED.

i. When the sun shines on water surfaces such as the sea, the lagoons and the rivers
they get heated.
ii. The heated water turns into vapour.

iii. The turning of water into vapour is known as evaporation.

iv Because the vapour rises higher and higher it cools. As it cools, it turns back into
small drops of water.

V. The turning of water vapour into small drops of water is known as condensation.

vi. The small drops of water known as the clouds come together and become heavy
and falls as rain.

TYPES OF RAINFALL
There are three ways in which air can be made to rise. Because of this we have three
(3) types of rainfall.
They are:
1. Convectional rainfall
2. Relief rainfall or Orographic rainfall and
3. Cyclonic rainfall

1. Convectional Rainfall: This is the type of rain which falls from moist air rising as
a result of heating.

i. When air is heated, it rises on its own (convection).

ii. As the moist air rises higher and higher, it cools.

iii. As it cools, condensation takes place.

iv. Clouds are formed and rain falls.

V. This type of rain usually falls in the afternoon and they are heavy rains but lasts
shortly. It usually falls in tropics.

[Link] rain usually comes with thunder and lightening.

2. Relief or Orographic: This is the type of rain which falls from moist air which r
as a result of air blowing against mountains or highlands.

i. When moist winds blow against mountains or highlands.

ii. They are forced to rise. As they rise higher and higher they cool, then condense
and form clouds.
iii. Clouds become thicker and rain falls on the windward side.

iv. At the other side of the mountain known as leeward side, there is little or no rain.
V This type of rain falls in mountain areas such as Abetifi, Kwahu area, Akwapim-
Togo range, Mampong highland etc.

3. Cyclonic or Frontal rainfall:

i When warm winds and cold winds meet from opposite directions.
ii. Because the warm winds are lighter than the cold winds.
iii. The warm winds are forced to rise by the cold winds.
iv. Condense and form clouds and rainfall.
v. Cyclonic rain falls in showers and may last for about a whole day or two. They
usually fall in the tropics and in the temperate zone.
vi. The rain falls over a wide area. It can fall over the whole Ghana.

1. The world is divided into two by the equator latitude O°. Remember the equator is
given a value of zero degrees.

2. Because the earth or world is a sphere, each part of the World from the equator
can be called a hemisphere.

3. The North pole has a latitude of 90 N.

4. The south pole has a latitude of 90°S.

5. From the equator to the North pole is called the Northern hemisphere.

6. From the equator to the south pole is also called the Southern hemisphere.

7. Latitude 662°Nis called the Arctic circle.

8. Latitude 23° N is called the Tropic of cancer.

9. Latitude 23 Y2° S is called Tropic of Capricorn.

10. Latitude 66 ° S is called the Antarctic circle.

11. The international Date line follows longitude 180°.

THE INTERNATIONAL DATE LINE

The International Date Line is an imaginary line across which a day is either lost or
gained. This line follows Meridian 180° except where it crosses land surfaces. It
passes through Eastern part of Russia through to the Fiji islands. East of the line, the
calendar date is one day ahead of the calendar date west of the line and vice versa. A
traveller crossing the line from the West to the East gains one day. A traveller
crossing the line from the East to the West loses one day. Clocks are set back when
one travels westwards from 180° Green Meridian. Clocks are also advanced or
adjusted to gain more hours when travelling Eastwards from Green Meridian.

SIGNIFICANCE OR IMPORTANCE OF THE INTERNATIONAL DATE

LINE.
[Link] determine the local time and standard time with reference to the GMT.

[Link] helps to determine the number of hours ahead or behind a traveller of another.

iii. It helps a traveller to know when a day is lost or gained.

[Link] helps to avoid confusion resulting from differences in time between different
places in the world.

V. It helps to divide the earth into two equal parts and twenty four time zones.

LDENTIFY AND LOCATE THE CONTINENTS AND OCEANS OF THE

WORLD.
Ocean is a great volume of salt-water that covers an extensive part of the earth's
surface. Oceans or water covers two-thirds (2/3rd) of the world while the remaining
1/3rd is covered by the continents or land surface.

OCEANS
There are five (5) oceans in the world. They are:
Name of Ocean Area or Size
1. Pacific Ocean (The largest ocean 165 Million km square
in the world)
2. Atlantic Ocean (The 2nd largest 82 Million km square
Ocean in the world)
3. Indian Ocean (The 3rd largest) 75 Million km square
4. Antarctic Ocean (The fourth largest) 25 Million km' square
5. Arctic Ocean (The smallest Ocean) 14 Million km square

CONTINENTS.
A continent is a huge land mass or a very large and wide piece of land
which may contain many countries.
There are five continents of the world. They are:

Name of continent Area of Size

[Link] (The largest in the world) 44 Million sq Km
2. Africa (The second largest) 30.3 Million sq. Km
 3. The Americas (North America 20 Million sq Km
South America)
4. Europe 17 Million sq Km
5. Australia (The smallest 10 Million sq Km
continent in the world) 8 Million sq km

[Link] world's largest ocean is the pacific.

2. The Panama canal links pacific ocean to the North Atlantic Ocean.

[Link] of the following is a continent as well as a country?

a). Asia
(b).America
(c)Australia

[Link] smallest continent in the world is Australia.

5. The largest continent in the world is Asia.
6. The only continent which is almost divided into halves by the equator is Africa.
7. The continent referred to as the most tropical of all continents is Africa. This is
because Africa lies within the tropics.
[Link] is separated from Europe in the North n by the Mediterranean Sea.
9. Africa is separated from Asia in the North-East by the Red Sea and the Gulf of
Aden.
10. The ocean that washes the eastern coast of Africa is the Indian Ocean.
11. The Atlantic ocean washes the western coast of Africa.
12. Africa is separated from Spain by the strait of Gilbraltar which is s 14
kilometres
wide.
13. The North Atlantic ocean washes the east coast of North America.
14. The South Atlantic ocean washes the eastern coast of South America.
15. The North Pacific Ocean washes the western coast of North America.
16. The South Pacific ocean washes the western coast of South America.
17. The pacific ocean washes the eastern of Asia.
18. The Ural mountains separate Europe from Asia.
19. The Arctic ocean washes the Northern Coast of Asia.
20. Africa without Madagascar is not complete so Madagascar is part of the African
continent.

ESSAY TEST.
1. (a). What is the rotation of the earth?
(b). What is the revolution of the earth?
2. (a). Write two effects of the rotation and one effect of the revolution of the earth.
(b). With the aid of diagrams, explain how the rotation of the earth causes day and
night.

3. Explain the following (a). Solstice (b). Inclination (C) Equinox of the earth

[Link] the following

(i) Rotation of the earth
(ii) Revolution of the earth

(b) Mention any two effects of each of the following

(i) Rotation of the earth

(i) Revolution of the earth

[Link] the earth at four positions to show its movements round the sun.
(b). Show the path of the orbit with broken lines.
(c). Use an arrow to show the direction of the earth's movements along the
orbit.
(d). Write the four seasons at the correct positions of the earth.

[Link] the aid of a diagram describe the solar system.

[Link] why countries in Africa like Ghana have only two seasons.

8. (a). Name three types of rainfall experienced in Ghana

(b). Describe how any one of the rainfall types is formed.

9. (a). Describe the formation of relief rainfall.

(b). Mention two areas in Ghana which experience relief rainfall.
(c). List two benefits of rainfall.

10. (a). Name the continents of the world.

(b). What is the difference between a continent and an ocean
(c). Name the oceans of the world
(d). Africa is the most tropical of all the continent. Why do we say so?

11. On an outline map of Africa:

(a). Name the seas and oceans that form its boundaries.
(b). Mark in and name the following:
(i). The Tropics of cancer and Capricorn.
(ii). The Equator
(iii). Longitude 0", 20'E and 20° West.

12. (a). What is the International Date Line?

(b). Explain the importance of the International Date

 STRAND 2

GOVERNMENT AND SOCIETY

Teaching and learning objectives

After learning this chapter, you should be able to:
1 describe the structure of government at the national, regional and district levels.
2 describe how the District Assembly does its work of developing the district and
how the local councils also assist in development of the district.
3. Identify some of the problems facing the District Assemblies and how they can be
solved.
4. give reasons to show why District Assemblies are important in the development of
the country.

Society: The term society refers to organised people living in a community.

Government: The term government refers to organised bodies of persons or

institutions responsible for running the affairs of the state or any local area.

THE STRUCTURE OF GOVERNMENT IN GHANA.

There are two main levels of government in Ghana. These are government at the
national level and government at the district level with the regions serving as co-
ordinating links. The District Assemblies or District level serves as the focus of
development.

THE STRUCTURE OF GOVERNMENT AT THE NATIONAL LEVEL

The structure of government at the national level comprises the three (3) arms of
government which are:

[Link] executive: This comprises the President. Vice President, the Cabinet made up
of between 10 and 19 most important ministers and other ministers of state, the Civil
Service etc.
ii. The legislature or Parliament: This comprises the Speaker of Parliament and his
two deputies and the other elected two hundred and seventy five (275) members of
parliament.

iii. The judiciary: This comprises the law courts and judicial officers. It is headed by
the chief justice.

THE THREE (3) ARMS OF GOVERNMENT AT THE NATIONAL LEVEL

AND THEIR FUNCTIONS.
i. Executive
ii. Legislature
iii. Judiciary

Legislature: It is the arm of government that has the sole authority to make laws for
the whole country. In Ghana, the legislature or law making body is called Parliament.
It is made up of the Speaker of Parliament who is the head, and his two deputies and
the two hundred and seventy five (275) members of parliament (MPs) elected by the
people. Note that the two deputies are part of the 275 MPs.

FUNCTIONS OF THE LEGISLATURE

i. Making and Amending law for the whole country: The first most important
function of parliament or legislature is to make laws for the whole country. It also
changes existing laws which are no longer useful to the country.

ii. Approving budgets or control of finance: The legislature approves the country s
budgets. It also controls the raising and spending of the country's money. This is why
the national budget is always presented to parliament for approval before it becomes
effective.

[Link] nominated judges and ministers: The legislature vets judges and
ministers of state nominated by the president to see whether they qualify for their
post give t them their approval before they assume office.

iv.A forum for debating issues of national interest: The legislature is a place where
issues of national interest are debated.

[Link] of President and Judges: The legislature can impeach the

President, vice president, judges of the supreme court and others if they violate their
constitutional duties.

vi. Declaration of war: The legislature agrees with the executive before a country
can go to war against any nation.

EXECUTIVE
The executive is the arm of government which executes (implements) the laws passed
by the legislature. It is also called the "administration". The executive or policy
making and implementation body is made up of the president who is the head, the
vice president, cabinet ministers, other ministers of state and the civil service etc.

FUNCTIONS OF THE EXECUTIVE

i. Formulation of Policies: The executive formulates policies or prepares bills to
be passed into laws which are necessary for running the country. They then send
these policies or bills to parliament for approval before they become laws.
ii. Preparation of National Budget: It prepares the national budgets: i.e. the
estimated income and expenditure of the country for the year and sends it to the
legislature for approval.

iii. Nomination of judges and ministers: The executive nominates the judges
and ministers eg. the Chief Justice and ministers of state and sends them to
legislature for approval.

iv. Implementation of approved laws: The executive executes, implements or

enforces the laws that tare passed by the e legislature.

V. Exercise of the Prerogative Power of mercy: The executive through the

president exercises the prerogative power of mercy. That is, the president has the
power to pardon sentenced criminals and to set them free.

vi. Ceremonial functions: The executive also performs s ceremonial functions such
as the Independence Day celebration etc.

vii. Assenting to bills: The executive assents to bills passed by parliament before
they become law. That is, when parliament approves the laws, the president must sign
his signature to approve the law before they become effective.

JUDICIARY.
It is the arm of government that interprets the laws or constitution in the country. ltis
made up of the law courts ie The supreme court (The highest court), the court of
appeal, the high court, the regional tribunals and judicial officers. It is headed by the
chief justice.

FUNCTIONS OF THE JUDICIARY

[Link] of cases: The judiciary settles cases or dispenses justice and ensures fair
play between individuals and state.

ii. Interpreting the laws or constitution: The supreme court (The highest court)
interprets the laws and constitution of the state. When the meaning of a law is not
clear, the supreme court explains what the law means.
iii. Punishing offenders or sanctioning criminals: The courts or the judiciary
punishes offenders who break the laws of the country. Eg. The court fines or
sentences to jail those who are found to be breaking the laws.

iv. Case laws or precedents: Sometimes the judiciary makes laws by using past
ruling of a case to pass judgement on a similar case. This is known as a case law
or judicial precedents

V. Custodian of the constitution: It keeps and protects the constitution from

being treated with disrespect by those in power.

vi. Judicial Review: The judiciary uses judicial review to strike down or override or
change decisions of the legislature and executive if they are found to be
unconstitutional.

vi. Protection of Individual Rights: The court or the judiciary protects the rights
and liberties of the individual against executive and legislative infringements.
Eg. The court has the power to issue writ that can prevent anybody from taking an
action that threatens the rights of other people.

vii. Others: Administration of wills, registration of marriages and other matrimonial

proceedings such as divorce and maintenance of children.

THE STRUCTURE OF GOVERNMENT AT THE REGIONAL LEVEL

The structure of government at the regional level comprises:
i. The Regional Minister and his or her deputy, if there is one and,

i. The Regional Co-ordinating Council serving as a link between the national

government and the district.

THE REGIONAL MINISTER

Regional Minister is the head of government at the regional level. He is nominated
by the president in consultation with chiefs and opinion leaders in the region and
approved by parliament. All the ten regions in Ghana have regional ministers.

FUNCTIONS OF THE REGIONAL MINISTER

[Link] represents the central government at the regional level. So he sees to it that
all the people in the region do what the government wants them to do.

[Link] controls all government departments in the region.

[Link] is the chairman of the Regional Co-ordinating Council and the Regional
Security Council.

[Link] sees to it that all parts of the region are supplied with their needs. Eg. Good
drinking water, hospitals, roads, schools, electricity etc.

v. He is the link between the central government and the people in his region.

vi. He makes sure that there is peace and security in the region and that there is
maintenance of law and order.

[Link] makes policies that will improve the general welfare of the people in the
region.

THE REGIONAL CO-ORDINATING COUNCIL

The Regional Co-ordinating Councils have been established to replace the former
Regional Administrations. All the ten regions in Ghana have Regional Co-ordinating
Council. The Regional Co-ordinating Councils act as links between the Central
government and the District level. The chairman of the Regional Co-ordinating
Council is the Regional Minister and the Administrative head of the Regional Co-
ordinating Council (RCC) is the Regional Co-ordinating Director (RCD). The
Regional Co-ordinating Council is made up of the following:

i. The Regional Minister (Chairman)

ii. The Deputy Regional Minister (if any)

iii. The District chief executives of all the districts in the region.

iv. The Presiding |Members (PMs) of all District Assemblies in the region.
V. Two chiefs representing the Regional House of chiefs in the region.

Vi. All the Regional Heads/Directors s of the decentralized departments in the region.

FUNCTIONS OF THE REGIONAL CO-ORDINATING COUNCIL (RCC)

i. It co-ordinates and formulates the integrated plans and programmes of the district
assemblies in the region and harmonises these plans and programmes with national
development policies and priorities for approval by the government.

ii. It monitors the implementation of programmes and projects within the region and
evaluates the performance of such programmes and projects.
iii. It plans at the regional level and integrate or put together all departmental
programmes in the region.

iv. It allocates to the districts in the region as appropriate public funds under
estimates approved by the government and grants to the districts in the region.

V. It reviews and co-ordinates public services generally in the region.

vi. It performs any other functions as may be assigned to it by the government.

THE STRUCTURE OF GOVERNMENT AT THE DISTRICT LEVEL

Description of the structure of government at the district level.
[Link] District Chief Executive (DCE) -The head of district assembly
[Link] District Assembly
iii. Area Committee
iv. Town Council
[Link] Council
[Link] Committee

So at the district level, we are governed by local government system.

Local Government: A local government is a sub-governmental unit established by

the central government through an Act of parliament to administer a local area. Eg.
the District Assembly System in Ghana.

THE STRUCTURE OF LOCAL GOVERNMENT SYSTEM IN GHANA.

District Assemblies in Ghana are either:
i Metropolitan Assembly: A Metropolitan Assembly is an assembly with a
population of over 250,000 people. There are six Metropolitan Assemblies in
Ghana. Eg. Accra Metropolitan Assembly

[Link] Assembly: A Municipal Assembly is a one-town assembly with a

population of over 95,000 people. Now there are forty one Municipal Assemblies
in Ghana. Eg. Wenchi Municipal Assembly.

ii "Ordinary" District Assembly: This is an assembly or a number of towns and

villages with a population of over 75,000 people eg. Tain District Assembly.

SUB-METROPOLITAN DISTRICT COUNCIL

These structures are immediately below the Metropolitan Assemblies. That is, al the
Metropolitan Assemblies have been sub-divided into sub-Metropolitan Assemblies.
NB: The Sub-Metropolitan District Councils do the work given to them by the
Metropolitan Assemblies.

Urban Councils: These are peculiar to settlement of "Ordinary" District Assemblies.

They are created for settlements with population above 15,000 people and which are
cosmopolitan in character and which have problems of urbanisation and management
a little bit lower than Metropolis. They do the work given to them by district
assemblies.

Zonal Councils: Zonal councils are in "one-town" municipal assemblies for which
the establishment of Area Councils or Town Councils will create problems. Each
Zonal Council has a population of 3000 people; has the same interest, identifiable
streets and landmarks.

Town/Area Councils: Area councils and Town Councils are found in Metropolitan
and District Assemblies. In the Metropolitan Assemblies, lown Councils have
population exceeding 50,000 people.

In the District Assemblies, Town Councils are established for settlement population
between 5000 and 15000 people and Area Councils for a number of settlements or
villages which are grouped together but whose individual settlements
have population of less than 5000 people.

Unit Committees: A unit committee forms the last structure of the local government
system in Ghana. A unit committee consists of f : settlements or group of settlements
with a population of between 500 and 1000 in the rural l areas s and a higher
population of 1500 for the urban areas. Because unit committees are closer to the
people they educate the people on government policies.

FUNCTIONS OF UNIT COMMITTEES

i. They educate the people on government policies.
ii. They organise communal labour in their units.
ii. They raise revenue in their units.
iv. They ensure environmental cleanliness.
V. They register births and deaths.
vi. They help in the implementation and monitoring of self-help projects.

Formation of district assemblies

[Link] District Chief Executive (D.C.E.)
ii. The Presiding Member (PM)
iii.. Members of Parliament who fall within the districts (MPs) have no vote In
assembly meetings.
iv. 70% of Assemblymen / women elected by the people from each electoral area in
the district.
V. 30% of Assemblymen/women appointed by the President in consultation with
chiefs and interest groups in the district.

THE DISTRICT CHIEF EXECUTIVE

He is the Head of the District Assembly. He is appointed by the President and
approved by two-thirds (2/3rd) majority votes of the Assemblymen/women present at
the Assembly meetings at the time of voting. The District Chief Executive holds
office for four (4) years and cannot remain in office for more than two terms (eight
years). He can be impeached by the Assembly members through "vote of no
confidence". He can also be dismissed by the president.

Functions or work of the District Chief Executive (D.C.E.)

[Link] represents the central government in the district.
[Link] is responsible for the day to day running or administration of the district.
iii He presides over meetings of the executive committee of the assembly.
[Link] represents the District in the Regional Co-ordinating Council's (RCC)
meetings.
[Link] sees to the maintenance of peace and security in the district.
vi He monitors on-going projects in the district.

THE PRESIDING MEMBER (PM).

The Presiding Member is the chairman of the district assembly. He is elected by the
district assembly from among the assembly members. He must get 2/3rd majority
votes from the assembly. The Presiding Member (PM) holds office for two (2) years
and is qualified for re-election. He can be removed from office by 2/3rd majority vote
of no confidence by the assembly members.

FUNCTIONS.
i. He presides over or chairs all assembly meetings except the executive committee
meeting.
i. He is a member of the Regional C0-ordinating Council (RCC).
iii. He is the principal legislative officer of the assembly.
iv. He performs the functions of the assembly during break apart from its legislative
function.
[Link] performs other functions sa a may be given to him by law.

FUNCTIONS OF DISTRICT ASSEMBLIES.

i. They are responsible for the overall development of the district. They are expected
to identify the problems of their district, develop their budgets and provide schools,
clinics, markets and feeder roads from the District Assembly Common Fund
allocated to them by the central government.

ii. They ensure ready access to courts and public tribunals in the district for the
promotion of justice.
ii. They initiate, sponsor or carry out such studies and research to help them do their
duties.

iv. They initiate programmes for the development of basic infrastructure and provide
municipal works and services in the district.

V. They work together with the appropriate national and local security agencies to
maintain security and public safety in the district.

vi. They promote and support productive activities and social development in the
district and remove any obstacles to development in the district.

vii. They are responsible for the development, improvement and management of
human settlements and the environment in the district or they help in the development
of towns and villages.

CONTRIBUTIONS OF DISTRICT ASSEMBLIES TO THE DEVELOPMENT

OF GHANA
i. They engage in refuse collection and other forms of sanitation.
District assemblies contribute greatly to the development of Ghana by engaging in
refuse collection and other aspects of sanitation. This is so especially in the urban
cities.

ii. They help in the construction and maintenance of feeder roads.

District assemblies construct feeder roads and also help to maintain some roads
within their area.

iii. They help in training and retraining of staff.

District assemblies assist in training and retraining of their staff by organising
capacity building workshop for their staff.

iv. They Provide Civic Education for residents.

District assemblies provide civic education for citizens. This creates awareness on
government policies.

V. They help in providing social amenities.

District assemblies help in providing social amenities and other infrastructural
development such as schools, toilets, markets, lorry parks etc.
Vi. They develop tourist sites that bring in foreign exchange.
Some district assemblies develop tourist sites that bring in revenue or foreign
exchange in the country. Eg. they construct roads to waterfall sites, build guest
houses, help protect tourist sites in their districts etc.

vi. They make bye -laws to maintain law, order and peace.
District assemblies make bye-laws to maintain law and order within the
jurisdiction.

vii. They enforce bye-laws through the court

Besides making the bye-laws, district assemblies also implement or enforce the
bye-laws through the courts.

viii. They give scholarships to needy but brilliant students.

District assemblies in Ghana give scholarships to needy but brilliant students n
their area.

ix. They offer employment to people in the area.

District assemblies provide employment to people in the area in the form or
labourers, typist, Secretaries, Watchmen, Directors, etc.

PROBLEMS FACING DISTRICT ASSEMBLIES IN GHANA

[Link] mobilization:
Inability to mobilize or generate revenue is one of the problems of District
Assemblies. District Assemblies are unable to raise enough revenue/funds for
the development of their communities. As a result they solely depends on central
government subventions which is woefully inadequate.

[Link] reliance on the District Assembly common fund:

The Assembly's inability to raise funds to meet their development agenda
makes them to rely on the District Assembly's common fund to execute their
projects.

iii. Logistical Problem (Problem of logistics):

Another problem worth mentioning has to do with logistics. Most Assemblies in
Ghana are poorly resourced with the needed logistics that will enable them
function effectively and efficiently. Logistics such as computers, furniture,
stationery, vehicle and many others are inadequate and in some places non
existent.

iv. Inability to attract investors:

Out of the many District Assemblies that we have, it is only a handful that are
able to woo investors, that is those in the cities. This problem comes as a result
of the rural nature of our settings. Investors do not want to invest in areas where
the population is low and mostly rural.

[Link] Projects monitoring:

Most of our Assemblies do not efficiently monitor projects awarded on contract
either by the Assembly itself or the central government due partly because of
inadequate trained personnel or resources. This consequently leads to poor
execution of projects.

vi. Low capacity of both staff and members:

Assemblies in Ghana are poorly staffed. They do not have adequately trained
staff like accountants, engineers, managers who will effectively man the activities of
the Assembly. The capacity of f most assembly members is very low making them
offer little or no assistance to the Assembly.

vii Irregularities In awarding contracts:

Contracts are often awarded inappropriately. Most contracts are flawed with
irregularities as contract figures are inflated. This is because proper procedures
Because of the low capacity of both staff and members of the Assembly,
are not followed in the award of such contracts.

WAYS BY WHICH THE PROBLEMS OF DISTRICTS ASSEMBLIES CAN

BE SOLVED.

[Link] other avenues of revenue mobilization.

District Assemblies should diversify their traditional source of revenue by
exploring other viable avenues. This they can do by partnering other agencies
both governmental and non-governmental.

[Link]
District assemblies should educate the local people on the policies and the
concept of District Assemblies so as to eradicate the bad notions and
perceptions people have about the Assembly. This will help them know the need
to pay their levies.

3. Increase people’s participation

District Assemblies in Ghana should roll out policies, plans and programmes
which will increase the participation of the local people to the activities of the
Assembly. These programmes should be people centred, practicable,
transparent, involving and beneficial to the needs and aspirations of the people.
4. Regular capacity building for staff and members
One way of solving the problem of staff incapability is training and retraining of staff
and members to acquire new skills and knowledge. This can be done through
guidance in career, service training, on-the-job training, seminars, Workshops,
conferences and awards of scholarships for further training etc.

[Link] use of funds:

District Assemblies should make good and proper use of their funds, Measures
should be put in place to block all leakages in the use of funds to the benefit of the
local people.

[Link] of handy information by Assembly members:

Assembly members should be well positioned to provide enough information on
the activities of the assembly to their people to remove mistrust.

[Link] to information:
A major source of rift between Assemblies and the local people is the lack of
accessibility to valuable information. District Assemblies need to update the people
with the relevant information and it should not be difficult for the people
too to get access to needed information.

[Link] that is userfriendly:

In giving out Information to the people, the Assembly should ensure that every
information that goes out to public is friendly. It shouldn't be one that will incite
them against one another and i the Assembly as well.

SOURCES OF REVENUE TO THE DISTRICT ASSEMBLIES IN GHANA

District Assemblies obtain revenue from two sources:
a. Locally generated fund b. Revenue from central government

Locally generated revenue: These include rate, land fees, licenses, trading services
and miscellaneous sources.

i. Tolls or fees: These include fees from cattle pounds, slaughter house, market tools,
market stalls, trading kiosk etc.

ii. Court fines: They get money from court fines. Eg. Those who are guilty in the
court pay money to the court as fines.

ii. Property rates: These are taxes levied on landed property in the district.

iv. Basic rates, land poll tax (lampoo) special rates: These include money paid by
all people above eighteen (18) years who are resident in the district. It is popularly
called "lampoo".
V. issuing of licenses: These include monies gotten from issuing dog licenses,
hawkers’ licenses, extension of hours of hotels and restaurants, beer and wine sellers.

vi. Economic ventures or trading services: They get money from trading activities
Such as flour sales, cement sales etc.

vii. Loans: District Assemblies can also obtain loans from banks for their activities.

viii. Donations from Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOS). Some NGOs also

give donations to district assemblies. These also serve as sources of funds for the
district assemblies.

[Link]: District Assemblies get revenue from the payment of royalties by

timber contractors, quarry contractors, miners etc. who operate within the districts.

REVENUES GOTTEN FROM CENTRAL GOVERNMENT TRANSFER.

These include: (1) Grants-in-Aid (2) Ceded Revenue.

Grants-in-Aid: These are monies given by the central government to help district
assemblies to carry on specific projects.

Ceded Revenue: These were collected by the central government but are now
given to district assemblies. Eg. Entertainment duty, Casino revenue, Betting tax,
Gambling tax and income tax etc.

District Assembly Common Fund: Article 252 clause 2 of the 1992 constitution
and section 2 of the District Assemblies' Common Fund Act (1993) Act 455 provides
that Parliament shall each year make an allocation of not less than five percent (5%)
of the total revenue of Ghana to the district assemblies for development and the
amount shall be paid into the District Assemblies Common Fund in quarterly
instalments. This has subsequently been amended to 7V2% of total revenue of
Ghana. The amount so allocated shall be distributed among the district assemblies
on the basis of a formula proposed by the Administrator of the fund and approved by
Parliament.

DUTIES OF THE DISTRICT ASSEMBLYMAN OR ASSEMBLYWOMAN

i. He meets his people, discusses issues to be discussed in the assembly with them.
ask for their views, suggestions and proposals.

ii. He informs the assembly of the views, opinions and proposals or problems of his
people.
iii. He takes part in district assembly's sessions and the committee that he is a
member of.

iv. He reports back to his people about the work of every assembly session.

V. He meets once a year with his people and presents a written report of his work as
an assembly member to them.

vi. He reports the decisions of the assembly and i its executive committee to his
people and what he has also to solve some of the problems raised by the residents in
his electoral area.

The traditional government structure:

The Traditional government structure is made up of; the chief and his elders, clan
heads and family heads.

THE TRADITIONAL COUNCIL AND ITS WORK FOR THE DISTRICT

ASSEMBLY.
i. The traditional council helps to maintain law and order through the use of
traditional courts or palace courts where cases are settled and offenders fined.

ii. They organise the people for communal labour thereby helping to develop the
area and the district.

iii. They help in the overall development of their area. Eg. Building of schools.
hospitals, markets etc.

iv. They educate their people on government policies.

V. They help in collecting money for development in the district by the collection of
special rates for specific projects Eg. Building of schools where every citizen is
made to pay a fixed rate.

vi. They help the central government in appointing the District Chief Executive and
the 30% government appointees at the district assembly by giving their opinions on
the person appointed.

vi. They help in the registration of birth and death in the district.
WORK OR CONTRIBUTIONS OF THE DISTRICT ASSEMBLY TO THE
DEVELOPMENT OF YOUR AREA.
i. They engage in refuse collection and other aspects of sanitation.
ii. They help in the construction and maintenance of feeder roads.
iii. They assist in the training and retraining of the staff.
iv. They provide civic education for citizens.
V. They help in infrastructural development by building toilets, markets etc.
Vi. They develop tourist sites that bring in foreign exchange.
vi. They also provide sponsorship for some exchange programs.
vii. They make bye-laws to maintain law, order and peace.

ESSAY TEST.
[Link] the three arms of government.
[Link] two functions of each of the three arms of government.
[Link] four sources of revenue for district assemblies in Ghana.
[Link] four importance of district assemblies.
[Link] four problems facing district assemblies in Ghana.
[Link] what four ways can the problems mentioned in 5 above be solved.
[Link] four duties of District Assemblyman
 STRAND 3
PROBLEMS OF DEVELOPMENT IN GHANA.

Teaching and learning objectives:

After learning this chapter, you should be able to:
1. discuss factors responsible for development problems in Ghana.
2. Suggest solutions for the problems of development in Ghana.
3. identify agencies that are making efforts to solve some of the country's
Development problems and describe their activities.

EXPLAIN THE TERM DEVELOPMENT.

Development can be defined as a positive growth which includes a qualitative and
quantitative improvement in the lives of the people in a particular society.

Development can also be defined as an increase in per capita income which comes
from an increase in the amount of goods and services produced in a country.
It is generally believed that when a country's per capita income increases, the quality
of life of the people will improve.

Per capita income refers to the total income a country receives in a given year divided
by the total population.

An increase in the production of goods and services will bring in increased per capita
income leading to improvement in the quality of life of the people. The main aim of
development is to improve the standard of living of the people.

EFFECTS OF DEVELOPMENT

The process of development results in the following:

i. There is positive change in the attitudes and values of the people.
ii. Acquisition of knowledge and. skills of the people.
iii. There is provision of social amenities and physical infrastructure in the society.
iv. There is constant re-examination óf cultural practices and institutions in the
society.
v. Increase in per capita income.
vi. There is general increase in the standard of living of the people.
IDENTIFY AND GIVE REASONS WHY SOME OF THE DEVELOPMENT
PROBLEMS FACING GHANA OCCUR.

The problems affecting Ghana's development are many. They are grouped into three
namely: (0) Economic (ii) Social and (i) Political problems.

Economic Problems: Economic problems are those that have to do with the
economic well being of the people. They deal with issues of standard of living. The
main economic problems include:
(i) Low agricultural production
(ii) High indebtedness
(iii) Aid dependency
(iv) High dependence on primary products
(v)Economic mismanagement
(vi) Corruption
(vii) Lack of effective management skills.

1. Low agricultural Production: Despite the fact that agriculture employs about
60% of Ghana's labour force, agricultural productivity is still low. The government of
Ghana imports food for example rice every year to feed the people of Ghana.

REASONS FOR LOW AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTION IN

GHANA
(i) Inadequate Capital to engage in large-scale farming: Most farmers in Ghana
lack capital to engage in large-scale agriculture. This leads to low productivity.

(ii) The use of obsolete technology or poor farming practices: Farmers in Ghana
are still addicted or used to old farming practices like slash and burn, the use of
cutlasses and hoes etc.

(iii) Farmers lack the needed agricultural inputs: Most farmers in the country do
not have the necessary agricultural inputs such as tractors, improved seeds, fertilizers
and outboard motors. These make it difficult for them to expand their farms leading
to low productivity.

(iv) Poor weather conditions/high dependency on rainfall for farming: Most

farmers in Ghana practice rain-fed agriculture. They depend on the weather for
rainfall to cultivate their crops, therefore, when the rains fail, it leads to low
agricultural produce.

(vi) Lack of Proper land tenure system: Difficulty in land acquisition due to lack of
proper land tenure system leads to low agricultural production in Ghana.
(vii) Unstable Prices of agricultural products: Lack of guarantee prices for
agricultural products leads to low agricultural products in the country.

SOLUTIONS TO LOW AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTION

(i)Provide Capital for Commercial or Large-Scale farming: The government
must help farmers to raise enough capital to engage in large-scale farming
through the banks by giving special credit facilities to those who are into farming.

(ii) We must use modern and scientific methods of farming: We must stop the old
and traditional farming practices and use modern farming practices eg. mechanized
agriculture.

(iii) Provide agricultural inputs to farmers: Government must continue and even
expand her policy of providing agricultural inputs to farmers eg. cocoa spraying
exercise, fertilizer subsidies to farmers, supplying improved seedlings to farmers
and provision of tractors.

(vi) Promote irrigation farming: Government must promote irrigation farming to

help solve the problem of poor weather conditions.

(v) Provision of storage facilities: Government must provide as well as improve

existing storage facilities eg. granaries and cold stores. This will help solve the
problem of post harvest losses.

(vi) Land acquisition should be made easy: Land tenure system should be revised
to attract young people into farming. Eg. abusa and abunu etc.

(vii) Providing ready market for agricultural products: The government must
provide ready market and guarantee prices for agricultural products.

High Indebtedness: Ghana is a middle - income country. However, the overall

public debt of the country as at September 2011 was US $ 14,766.72 million.
Ghana is indebted to the World Bank, International Monetary Fund (IMF) and
some developed countries like Canada and United Kingdom.

REASONS FOR HIGH INDEBTEDNESS

(i) Low Agricultural Production: Low agricultural production makes it difficult for
the country to feed ourselves. So government is forced to import more food some
of which she even buys on credit. This leads to high indebtedness.
(ii)increased borrowing by government to undertake development projects:
Government borrows money to undertake development projects. Eg. roads
construction, railways, extension of electricity, building of schools etc.

(iii)Increase in imports and a fall in exports: Increase in imports such as finished

products. Eg. cars, tractors and a fall in exports such as cocoa, gold, bauxite,
manganese, timber etc. lead to less foreign exchange hence forcing government to
borrow from other sources. This is because we import more than we export.

iv) Low prices for Ghana's Exports: Low prices offered for Ghana's exports like
cocoa, timber, gold etc. lead to low export revenue. This reduces our foreign
exchange earnings and forces government to go for loans.

(v) High prices for Ghana's Imports: High prices for Ghana's imports. Eg.
the rising cost of crude oil forces government to spend too much foreign exchange on
imports hence borrowing to meet her demands.

SOLUTIONS TO HIGH INDEBTEDNESS

(i)Using Locally Produced Goods: Ghanaians must use locally produced
goods. This will reduce the volume of Ghana's imports and reduce government
borrowing.

(ii) Increase Subsidies on Local Products: This will minimize the importation of
foreign goods and help save foreign exchange. This is because it will reduce the
prices of locally made goods making the people buy locally made goods instead
of foreign goods.

(iii) Produce more food to feed Ghanaians: We must produce our basic needs
by ourselves. At least we must produce our own food and stop importing food
from other countries.

(iv) Adding value to our Exports: We must add value to our exports like the raw
materials before exporting them. This will help us get better prices for them. Eg.
We must process our cocoa beans and timber before we export them.

(v) Reduce External borrowing: Government must reduce borrowing and finance
most of our development projects locally.

(vi) Increase Exports and reduce Imports: We must increase our exports eg.
cocoa, gold, diamond, manganese etc. and reduce imports especially the luxury
commodities eg. beautiful cars etc.
 3. AID DEPENDENCY
Ghana depends largely on developed countries for aid or assistance. We receive food
aid and other grants from the developed countries for our survival. Even our national
budgets are always dependent on aid. These aids always come from countries like
France, Spain, Japan, Germany, China, UK, USA etc.

Foreign aid always come with conditionalities. This means the government is
not free to decide on how to use aid from abroad.

REASONS FOR AID DEPENDENCY

(i) Ghana is Poor: Ghana depends on aid because she is poor and not self reliant.
She, therefore, needs to depend on other countries for aid to finance her yearly
budget and to support developmental effort.

(ii) Poor Agricultural Production: Poor agricultural production makes it very

difficult for Ghana to become self-reliant. Ghana cannot provide her basic needs.
Hence she depends on other countries for aid to be able to feed the people.

(iii) Inability of Government to provide social amenities:

repayment makes it difficult for government to provide social amenities for the
people. Hence the dependence on foreign aid.

(iv) High Taste for Foreign Goods: Ghanaians have high taste for foreign goods
instead of made in Ghana goods so the need to import more.

SOLUTIONS TO AID DEPENDENCY

(i) Reduce Reliance on Foreign Aid and Consume Goods made in Ghana: We
must reduce our taste for foreign goods and patronize made in Ghana products.

(ii) Generate money locally for development Projects: We have to enlarge the tax
net to raise money locally for our development projects.

(iii) Encourage Large-Scale Farming: The government must encourage large-scale

food farming. This we can do by giving farmers loans and subsidies. This will help
produce more food and reduce aid dependency.
(iv) Re-structuring the National Budget: Our budgets must not be donor - driven.
We have to re-structure the budgets to do one thing at a time and avoid
dependence on other countries for budgetary support.

4. HIGH DEPENDENCY ON PRIMARY PRODUCTS

Ghana depends too much on primary products. Our exports are mainly primary
products. Eg. Cocoa, Timber, Gold, Diamond, Pineapples etc. Usually the
developed countries determine the prices of our products which attract very low
prices. This is so because we export the products in their raw state. We end up
getting low foreign exchange from our exports.

REASONS FOR HIGH DEPENDENCE ON PRIMARY PRODUCTS

(i)Ghana is largely an agricultural country: About 60% of Ghanaians are engaged
in the primary sector.

(ii)There are only few manufacturing Industries in Ghana: Ghana does not have
many big manufacturing industries to process her products before exporting them.

(iii)Lack of Capital: Ghana does not have adequate capital to invest in large scale
manufacturing activities. Even the few state-owned industries are collapsing due to
shortage of capital.

(iv) Ghana does not have the requisite skilled personnels to man her few
processing industries: We lack both the technology and efficient personnels to man
the few processing industries or to engage in the production of finished goods.

(v) Lack of Political will to establish manufacturing industries: Government does

not have the political will to establish manufacturing industries. Even the few
industries are being privatized.

SOLUTIONS TO HIGH DEPENDENCE ON PRIMARY PRODUCTS

(i) Setting up more Processing industries. We have to set up more processing
industries. Eg. Wood Processing Industry, Cocoa Processing Industry, food
canning industry, Aluminium Industry etc.

(ii) We must Process Our Primary Products: We have to process our primary
products to add value to them before exporting. Eg. Cocoa beans into cocoa
powder, cotton into cloth, fish into fish meal and orange into orange juice.
(iii) Training more personnels for industry and Agriculture. This will help
provide the needed skilled personnels to man our few processing industries.

(iv) Diversification of the economy: We have to diversify the economy by

developing other sectors. Eg. We can develop the ICT sector to provide knowledge
capital.

(v) Raising funds for investment in Manufacturing: Government must raise

enough capital to establish more manufacturing industries in the country.

5. ECONOMIC MISMANAGEMENT
Ghana's economy has always been mismanaged by our leaders. The resources of
the country are not channelled into the best areas that would bring meaningful
development to the people of this country. Sometimes, development projects are
sited in some communities based on the people's support for the party in government
instead of addressing the needs of the people. This hinders the country's sustainable
development.

REASONS FOR ECONOMIC MISMANAGEMENT

(i) Lack of courageous and visionary leaders: Lack of courageous and visionary
leaders to man the affairs of the country's economy. Leaders are sometimes
visionless and vacillating.

(ii) Refusal to involve economic experts in the management of the country:

Sometimes our political leaders refuse to involve other economic experts in the
management of the country because of their differences in political ideology. eg.
New governments always change some workers at certain positions because they
belong to different political parties no matter how good they are.

(iii) Lack of effective, independent and strong institutions: Lack of effective and
strong institutions to expose public officials involved in economic mismanagement.

(iv) Lack of political will to sack those mismanaging the economy. Government
does not have the political will to sack those public officials who are mismanaging
the resources of Ghana. This is even more difficult when the person belongs to the
same party with the ruling government.

(v) Lack of effective managerial skills: Inefficient management or lack of effective

managerial skills also causes economic mismanagement in the country.
 SOLUTIONS TO ECONOMIC MISMANAGEMENT
(i) Need for courageous and visionary leaders. Ghanaians must vote for leaders
who are courageous and visionary to help direct the affairs of the country well.

(ii) We must punish government officials who mismanage our resources. The
government must prosecute or punish those government officials who mismanage
national resources no matter which political party they belong to.

(iii) Strengthen our National institutions: Government must strengthen our

independent national institutions to deal with economic crimes. eg. Office of
Accountability and the Economic and Organised Crime Unit.

(iv) Engaging Economic experts in National development: Government must

engage the country's economic experts in the management of the economy
irrespective of the political party they belong to.

CORRUPTION
Corruption refers to the use of a person's office to his advantage. Most
Ghanaians are corrupt, they collect gifts and other things from people before they
render services for which they are paid. Eg. Some policemen collect money from
drivers without checking their papers. Ghana is rated as one of the most corrupt
countries in the world.

REASONS FOR CORRUPTION

(i)Poor Working Conditions of Workers: Poor working conditions eg. low salaries,
make it difficult for workers to cater for their families. Workers, therefore, tend to
collect bribes from other sources.

(ii)Get-rich-quick attitude of workers: Most Ghanaians are selfish. They want to

get rich quick. They, therefore, become corrupt to enrich themselves.

(ii) Lack of Efficient auditing System: Lack of efficient and regular auditing
systems influence people to use their positions to direct state resources into their
private
accounts.

(iv) Lack of Political will to Prosecute or punish corrupt officials: Sometimes

ruling governments find it difficult to prosecute corrupt public officials especially if
they belong to the same political party.

(v) Presence of corrupt law enforcement officials: Sometimes, those who are to
enforce the laws are corrupt themselves. They take bribes from law breakers and
set them free. eg. The Police and the Judiciary should not be corrupt.

SOLUTIONS TO CORRUPTION
(i) We must organise regular audit of government institutions to prevent
corruption: This will expose corrupt officials and deter others from being corrupt.

(ii) Better working conditions for workers: The government and employers must
give workers better working conditions eg. better salaries, accommodation etc.

(ii) Independent Judiciary and good security agencies: The government must
ensure that there is independent judiciary and security agencies to enforce the
laws. This will help deal with corrupt officials.

(iv) Ghanaians must be selfless and Patriotic: We must show patriotism and
selflessness. This will help deal with corruption by preventing it.

(v) Severe punishment for corrupt officials. There should be severe punishment
for those who are caught to be corrupt to deter others from doing so.

(vi) Strengthen government institutions: Government institutions such as the

Office of Accountability and the Economic and Organised Crime Unit must be
strengthened to deal with corruption.

7. LACK OF EFFECTIVE MANAGERIAL SKILLS

Most Ghanaians do not have effective and efficient managerial skills to manage their
businesses and the economy as a whole. We tend to import foreign experts from
abroad. Eg. Most of the large-scale business enterprises in Ghana have foreign
experts managing them.

REASONS FOR LACK OF EFFECTIVE MANAGEMENT SKILLS

(i) Low level of Education: Low literacy rate or the low level of education of most
Ghanaians leads to lack of effective managerial skills in the country.

(ii) Inadequate training courses for entrepreneurs: Lack of training courses for
managers and entrepreneurs in the country leads to lack of effective managerial
skills.
(iii) High cost of Management Courses: The high cost of seminars and training
courses for managers to upgrade the people's knowledge and skills, leads to lack
of effective managerial skills.

(iv) The inability of Business enterprises to sponsor their workers for further
studies or organise training workshops for them: This leads to lack of effective
managerial skills because the workers themselves, because of their poor working
conditions and low salaries cannot sponsor themselves.

SOLUTIONS TO LACK OF EFFECTIVE MANAGEMENT SKILLS

(i) Organise retraining courses for managers and staff. We have to organise
training and retraining courses for managers and staff to help them upgrade their
skills.

(ii) Reduce fees for management courses: We have to reduce the cost of
seminars, workshops and training courses for managers.

(iii) Companies should sponsor their staff: Companies should also sponsor
employees for managerial courses.

(iv) Encouraging managers to upgrade their skills: Companies and employers

must motivate workers especially managers to upgrade their skills.

SOCIAL PROBLEMS
The Social Problems are those that have to do with the social well being of the
people.
They include:
(i) High birth rate
(ii)Low literacy rate
(iii) Inadequate health facilities
(iv) High rate of road accidents
(v) Widespread poverty
(vi) Malnutrition
(vii) HIV/AIDS
(viii) Negative attitudes towards work.

1. High birth rate: Birth rate is the number of lives birth per thousand (1000)
women of the population. The birth rate of Ghana is very high. It currently stands at
45 births per thousand (1000) people. So the population of Ghana is expected to
increase every twenty-three (23) years. High birth rate leads to rapid population
growth.

REASONS FOR HIGH BIRTH RATE

(i) Teenage Pregnancies: The high incidence of teenage pregnancies as a result of
lack of parental control leads to high birth rate.

(ii) Early marriages or early Parenthood: The increase in early marriages leads to
high number of birth in the country.

(iii) High fertility rate: High fertility rate leads to high number of births.

(iv) Poverty: Poverty which causes teenage pregnancies also leads to increase in the
birth rate.

(v) Reluctance to accept family planning and birth control measures: This is
sometimes due to ignorance or religious beliefs. It, therefore, leads to high birth
rate.

(vi) Ignorance about the effects of high birth rate on the individual: Most people
are not aware of the bad effects of high birth rate on their lives. They, therefore, give
birth to many children.

(vii) Polygamy or Polygyny: The high incidence of polygamous marriages. That is,
marrying more than one wife leads to high birth rate.

(viii) Prestige about having large families: Most Ghanaians have positive attitudes
towards large family size. Eg. There is the pride of having many children as the
measure of one's wealth.

(ix) Family labour: The belief that children serve as a source of insurance towards
one's old age and the use of children as family labour in farms cause high birth rate
in the country.

SOLUTIONS TO HIGH BIRTH RATE

(i)Girl child education must be intensified: This will empower women,
prevent poverty, and reduce high birth rate and teenage pregnancies.

(ii)Public education against early marriages: This will prevent early marriages and
reduce high birth rate in the country.

(iii) Intensification of family planning and birth control measures: This will
reduce the birth rate by making people accept family planning and birth control
measures.

(iv) Sex education must be intensified: This will help to reduce high birth rate by
preventing teenage pregnancies.

(v) Religious and moral education must be encouraged in Schools: This will
help reduce high birth rate because it will make pupils lead a chaste life and avoid
premarital sex and teenage pregnancies.

(vi) Reproductive health education in Schools must be intensified. This will

create awareness about the effects of high birth rate on the individual hence
helping to reduce high birth rate.

(vii) Poverty alleviation or jobs creation: This will reduce high birth rate through
reduction of poverty and teenage pregnancies.

(viii) Education on the adverse effects of Large families: This will avoid the
prestige of having large families and reduce high birth rate in the country.

(ix) Incentives to people with low family size: Giving incentives eg. tax relief to
people with small family size will motivate people to reduce their family size.

(x) Responsible Parenting: Parents must be responsible. They must take care of
their children to avoid teenage pregnancies. This will help reduce high birth rate in
the country.

2. LOW LITERACY RATE

Most Ghanaians are illiterates. They cannot read and write. About 52% of the
Ghanaian population are illiterates. These people do not understand government
policies to be able to make any meaningful contribution towards Ghana's
development.

REASONS FOR LOW LITERACY RATE IN GHANA

(i)Poor understanding of the importance of education by most Ghanaians:
Most people do not value education. They see it as a waste of time.

(ii)Irresponsible Parenting: Irresponsible parents do not send their children to

school. Some use their children as cheap labour, others also force their children
into early marriages.

(iii)Poverty: Widespread poverty forces parents to keep their children at home

instead of sending them to school.

(iv) Inadequate educational facilities in the country: Lack of educational facilities

such as schools and libraries lead to low literacy rate in Ghana.

(v) High rate of adult illiteracy: This is transferred by the adults to their children.
Solutions to low Literacy Rate.

(i) There should be educational campaign to encourage parents to look after their
children in school.

(ii) Parents should be brought to justice and made to be responsible.

(iii) Government should intensify non-formal education.

(iv) Government must provide educational facilities to make education accessible to

the people.

3. INADEQUATE HEALTH FACILITIES

There are not enough health facilities in Ghana. Most communities in Ghana do not
have health facilities such as hospitals, clinics, health posts and child and maternal
care centres to address the health needs of the people. There is also the shortage of
doctors and nurses in the country.

REASONS FOR INADEQUATE HEALTH FACILITIES

(i) The government is not able to provide enough health facilities because of poverty.

(ii) There are not enough training facilities to train more health workers like nurses
and doctors.

(iii) Brain-drain in the health sector: Our nurses and doctors travel abroad for good
salaries and good working conditions.

(iv) Ghanaians’ inability to lay more emphasis on preventive health care measures.
 SOLUTIONS TO INADEQUATE HEALTH FACILITIES
(i) Provision of more hospitals, clinics, and health centres by government, district
assemblies and NGOs.
.
(ii) The government must train more doctors and nurses and motivate them to stay in
the country.
(iii) We must lay more emphasis on preventive health care measures.

4. EFFECTS OF MALARIA
Malaria is the leading cause of death among children in Ghana. Most people die of
malaria everyday. About 200 people die of malaria everyday in Ghana.

CAUSES OF MALARIA
(i)Poor Sanitation: Poor sanitation like choked gutters, stagnant waters,
indiscriminate throwing of refuse etc. serve as breeding places of mosquitoes
which cause malaria.

(ii) Inadequate treated mosquito nets: Shortage of treated mosquito nets to prevent
people from mosquitoes causes malaria.

(iii) Building of resistance on malaria drugs by malaria parasites: Most malaria

drugs have become ineffective in fighting malaria because the mosquito parasites
have developed resistance to the malaria drugs.

(iv) Refusal by some people to sleep in treated nets: Some people refuse to sleep
in insecticide treated nets because they complain that the nets make them feel
uncomfortable.

SOLUTIONS TO THE EFFECTS OF MALARIA

(i) Government must intensify the mosquito spraying exercise to help reduce malaria.

(ii) We must clean the environment by providing dustbins, draining stagnant waters
etc.

(iii) Ensuring that all people are using the insecticide treated mosquito nets.

(iv) Government must provide powerful drugs to kill malaria parasite.

 5. POVERTY
Most Ghanaians are poor. That is, they lack the basic human needs such as food,
clothing, shelter and health care. About 94% of Ghanaians are poor by UNO
standards.

REASONS FOR POVERTY

(i) Low productivity of agriculture because we do not use modern technology.

(ii) Our inability to add value to raw materials before we export them to other
countries.

(iii) Lack of education which makes it difficult for people to get well-paid jobs.

(iv) Lack of programmes to support the poor.

(v) High population growth rate which makes the dependency ratio very high.

SOLUTIONS TO POVERTY
(i) There should be increased productivity by the use of modern technology.

(ii) Training and retraining.

(iii) More emphasis should be on food processing and manufacturing.

(iv) There should be job creation or poverty alleviation programmes to reduce

poverty.

6. INADEQUATE SOCIAL AMENITIES

In Ghana, social amenities such as good drinking water, roads, transportation,
health, schools, electricity etc. are inadequate. This makes Ghana an unattractive
place for both local and foreign investors.

REASONS FOR INADEQUATE SOCIAL AMENITIES

(i) The low revenue generated by government has made it difficult for government to
provide social amenities.
(ii) The high population growth rate is putting too much pressure on the few
existing facilities making them inadequate.

(iii) Poor construction of public facilities affects the durability of these social
amenities. Eg. Most roads and buildings are destroyed before their time due to
shoddy works.
(iv) Unwillingness of the communities, NGOs and the private sector to assist in the
provision of social amenities.

SOLUTIONS TO INADEQUATE SOCIAL AMENITIES.

(i) Provision of social amenities by the communities, government and NGOs.

(ii) People should be sensitized to use and maintain the facilities.

7. HIGH RATE OF ROAD ACCIDENTS

Ghana is one of the countries with high rate of road accidents in the world. Ghana is
rated sixth in Africa in the number of road accidents. In 1994, the number of road
Ghana is one of the countries with high rate of road accidents in the world. Ghana is
accidents reported was 7,980. In 1998, the number reported was 18,034. The
accidents occur mostly on our trunk roads. Road accidents have claimed several
lives and left several others permanently disabled.

CAUSES OF ROAD ACCIDENTS

(i) Drunk-driving: Some drivers drive while drunk. This causes road accidents.

(ii) Wrongful overtaking: Most drivers try to overtake other vehicles at wrong
places and sometimes get involved in accidents.

(iii) Poor road network: The road network in Ghana is very bad. Some are very
narrow for big trucks, some are full of potholes, others are too slippery during the
raining season. This causes accidents.

(iv) Disregard for road signs: Some drivers disregard road signs when driving,
others overspeed or overtake other vehicles at wrong places. These cause road
accidents.

(v) Low level of education on road signs: Low level of education on road signs
among road users causes road accidents.
(vi) Bribery and corruption of police officers: Officers at police barriers take
bribes from some drivers who break road rules. This causes road accidents.

SOLUTIONS TO ROAD ACCIDENTS

(i) Rehabilitating poorly constructed roads.
(ii) Educating drivers about the dangers of reckless driving.

(iii) Education on road signs etc.

(iv) Passengers must be vigilant and if necessary, caution drivers on their mistakes.

(v) The police and drivers' union should enforce the rules and regulations on driving.

8. HIV-HUMAN IMMUNODEFICIENCY VIRUS AND AIDS-ACQUIRED

IMMUNE DEFICIENCY SYNDROME.

HIV/AIDS is now a serious social development problem in Ghana. It is estimated

that about 600,000 people in Ghana, that is 4% are suffering from HIV/AIDS. About
200 people get HIV everyday. About 76% and 82% of prostitutes in Kumasi and
Accra respectively have HIV/AIDS.

CAUSES OF HIV/AIDS
(i) HIV/AIDS is caused by casual and unprotected sex.
(ii) People who are not faithful to their sex partners can get HIV/AIDS.
(iii) Pregnant women who are HIV/AIDS victims can pass the virus unto the unborn
baby.
(iv) Some people get HIV/AIDS through blood transfusion if the blood is
contaminated with HIV.
(v) Some also get infected through contaminated body piercing instruments. Eg.
Razor blades, needles, surgical equipment etc.
(vi) Some children get HIV/AIDS through breast-feeding.
(vii) HIV/AIDS can be contracted through circumcision of children.

SOLUTIONS TO HIV/AIDS
(i) People should be advised to abstain from casual and unprotected sex.
(ii) People should be faithful to their sex partners.
(iii) Those who cannot be faithful to their sexual partners must be educated to use
contraceptives such as condoms.
(iv) AIDS or HIV campaigns should be intensified through the FM stations and TV
stations.
(v) People should use new needles and blades and destroy them immediately after
use. We should avoid using used needles, blades, etc.

MALNUTRITION
Most Ghanaians are underfed. Majority of Ghanaians do not get three-square
meals a day. Even if they have sufficient food, it is not nutritious. It is only one type
of food. So because of the malnourishment, people are unable to eat well to
provide enough nutrients for their bodies for healthy growth.

REASONS FOR MALNUTRITION IN GHANA

(i) Poor agricultural products make it difficult for Ghana to feed her people.
(ii) High birth rate means too many mouths have to be fed. But there is poverty.
(iii) Poverty is the major cause of malnutrition in the country.
(iv) Unemployment is also one of the causes.

SOLUTIONS TO MALNUTRITION
(i) Poverty alleviation.

(ii) Provision of balance diet with government and NGOs support.

(iii) There should be family life education to help reduce the size of the family.

(iv) There should be creation of jobs to reduce unemployment.

(v) Intensification of the government school feeding programme to all schools.

POLITICAL PROBLEMS
Political problems are those that have to do with democratic structures and the
enjoyment of constitutional rights and freedoms in the country.

The main Political problems are:

(i) Lack of Continuity
(ii) External Influence
(iii) Inability to mobilize funds
(iv) Misappropriation and misapplication of funds.
(v) Coup D'etats.

1. LACK OF CONTINUITY
This refers to frequent changes in government and national policies. Most often
when new government comes into office, they do not want to continue with the
projects started by their predecessors. So new set of administrators often abandon
policies and programmes started by the previous administration. This lack of
continuity causes waste of resources because a lot of money is used to start a project
only to be abandoned.

REASONS OR CAUSES OF LACK OF CONTINUITY.

(i) The desire of new leaders to discredit or demonise their predecessors.

(ii) When the projects of the previous government are shrouded in corruption

(ii) Projects are abandoned due to lack of funds to continue previous projects.

(iv) When the previous policies and programmes are not the same as the vision of the
new leaders.

(v) When there are differences in ideologies and political beliefs of both leaders.

SOLUTIONS TO LACK OF CONTINUITY

(i)Government should allocate resources to complete previous projects before

starting new ones.

(ii) Leaders should learn to give credit where it is due.

(iii) We must have a national policy and vision which is acceptable to all political
parties in the country.

(iv) Independent national institutions must investigate all projects shrouded in

corruption.

(v) The National Development Planning Commission must be made independent

from political interference.
 2. EXTERNAL INFLUENCE
Ghana's economy is always controlled by external factors like the prices of oil, gold,
cocoa etc. Foreign policies and programmes from the world bank and other
developed countries always affect the government's programmes and policies. Eg.
Deregulation of the Petroleum Sector, increase in utility tariffs, cost sharing of
Tertiary education are all policies imposed on Ghana by the IMF.

REASONS OR CAUSES OF EXTERNAL INFLUENCE

(i) Ghana's over-dependence on foreign countries for development aid.

(ii) Lack of control over the prices of global commodities. Eg. crude oil prices, gold
prices, machinery prices and cocoa.

(iii) The desire of Ghana's government to raise huge money from abroad to develop
the country.

(iv) Inability to add value to our exports by processing them.

SOLUTIONS TO THE PROBLEMS OF EXTERNAL INFLUENCE

(i) We must reduce dependence on foreign countries and rely mainly on our own
efforts for development.

(ii) We must raise capital from internal sources for developmental projects.

(iii) We have to add value to our primary products before exporting them.

(v) We must strengthen our security forces to protect our borders.

(vi) We have to manufacture our own local machinery through technical institutes
and the polytechnics.

3. INABILITY TO MOBILIZE FUNDS

Ghana is not able to raise enough funds for development from internal sources.
This denies the government of the needed revenue for development. The country
is not able to source all the financial promises from the developed countries.

REASONS FOR INABILITY TO MOBILIZE FUNDS

(i) Government is not able to meet the requirement for loans and grant from other
countries.
(ii) Corruption and lack of transparency discourage donors from giving Ghana loans
and grants.

(iii) Donor countries attach strict conditions to their funds.

SOLUTIONS TO INABILITY TO MOBILIZE FUNDS.

(1) Government must try to meet requirement for loans and grants.

(2)We must minimise corruption and try to be transparent.

(3)We have to make sure that the conditions attached to funds are in the national
interest.

4. MISAPPROPRIATION AND MISAPPLICATION OF FUNDS

Misapplication of funds is using money wrongly or for purposes which they were not
meant while misappropriation of funds refers to stealing money that you have been
trusted to take care of and to use it for your own benefits. This is a serious problem
affecting Ghana's development. Government officials often misappropriate and
misapplicate public funds.

CAUSES OR REASONS FOR MISAPPROPRIATION AND

MISAPPLICATION OF FUNDS.
(1) Lack of effective supervision
(ii) The get-rich-quick attitude of public officials
(iii) Poor working conditions of workers and officials.
(iv) Inadequate number of qualified accountants.

SOLUTIONS TO MISAPPROPRIATION AND MISAPPLICATION OF

FUNDS.
(1) Government must ensure regular audit of public institutions and those who use
state funds.

(2)Those public officials who misappropriate public funds must be prosecuted.

(3) The auditor general's office must be strengthened and the staff motivated to work
well.
 5. COUP D'ETATS:
This is sudden or violent seizure of power in a state by a small group
that has not been elected. There has been five successful coup d'etats and other
unsuccessful coups between the years 1966-1981. Coup d'etats destroy the
normal order of government and always set the country backwards. They never
advance the country one little bit.

REASONS GIVEN BY THE MILITARY COUP LEADERS FOR STAGING

THE COUP D'ETAT ARE AS FOLLOWS:
1. Economic Mismanagement: The Military always accuses their predecessor of
economic mismanagement. Eg. The NLC government accused Nkrumah of using
the country's money unwisely.

2. Discrimination Against Other Party's Members: The CPP government was

also accused of giving top posts in government to only members of the CPP party.

3. Intolerance Of Opposition: The NLC also blamed the CPP government of not
allowing anyone to say anything bad about its government. Nkrumah banned all
opposition parties and formed only one party state.

4. The Desire To Overthrow Government And Taste Political Power: The 1972
Acheampong coup is an example. Acheampong said that he had the desire to stage
a coup on the first day he joined the Military.

5. The Desire Of leaders To Perpetuate Their Rule: General Fred Akuffo

overthrew Acheampong's government in 1978 because Acheampong wanted to
remain in power despite Ghanaians dislike for his union government. Nkrumah also
wanted to remain in power by creating a one-party state leading to his overthrow in
1966.

6. Corruption: The AFRC led by Flt. Lt. J.J. Rawlings accused the SMC, Akuffo's
government, of corruption and inefficiencies in administration of the country.

DISADVANTAGE OF COUP D'ETATS

1. They often set the country backwards because after independence we have wasted
our time for about 30 years and have now gone back to the 1957 constitution i.e.
Constitutional rule.

2. Military rulers often fail to find lasting solutions to the problems of the country.
3. They always scare investors since investors do not want to invest in countries
under military rule.

4. Donor and creditor countries and international financial institutions like the IMF
and the World Bank have been unwilling to give assistance to countries under
military regime unless they adopt western democracy.

5. Military rule always breeds dictatorship and abuse of human rights.

WAYS OF MINIMIZING SOCIAL PROBLEMS.

i. Girl-child education must be intensified: This will help empower women,
prevent poverty and reduce high birth rate and teenage pregnancies.

ii. Public education against early parenthood or early marriages: This will
prevent early marriages and reduce high birth rate in the country.

iii. Intensification of family planning and birth control measures: This will
reduce high birth rate by making people to accept family planning and birth control
measures.

iv. Sex education must be intensified: This will help avoid teenage pregnancies and
reduce high birth rate.

v. Religious and moral education must be encouraged in schools: This will help
reduce high birth rate because it will make pupils lead a chaste life and avoid pre-
marital sex and teenage pregnancies.

vi. Reproductive health education in schools must be intensified: This will create
awareness about the effect of high birth rate on the individual hence helping to
reduce high birth rate.

vii. Poverty alleviation/creation of jobs: This will reduce high birth rate through
poverty reduction.

viii. Education on adverse effects of large families: This will avoid the prestige
about having large families and reduce high birth rate.

ix. Incentives to people with low family size: Giving incentives to people with low
family size eg. a minimum of two children per family will motivate people to reduce
their family size.
x. Responsible Parenting: Parents must be responsible. They must take care of
their children to avoid teenage pregnancies.

(xi). Reducing High Dependency Ratio

(i). Providing jobs for all
(ii). Reduction in birth rate
(iii). Government should increase its responsibilities to the aged.

(xii). Reducing Unemployment

(i). Provision of more jobs by government, District Assemblies etc.
(ii). People's capacity for self-employment must be developed.

(xiii). Changing Obsolete Socio-Cultural Practices

(i). Laws must be made and enforced to stop these practices
(ii). Security agencies in public departments should be vigilant in supervising
public property.

(xiv). Improving Care and Maintenance of Public Property

(i). More care is needed in handling public property.
(ii). Security agencies in public departments should be vigilant in supervising
public property.

(xv). Minimising Poor Sanitation

(i). Education on the dangers of poor sanitation.
(ii). Provision of facilities such as dustbins etc.
(iii). Sanctions against those who throw away refuse indiscriminately.

MENTION EFFORTS BY AGENCIES IN THE COUNTRY TO SOLVE

SOME OF THE COUNTRY'S DEVELOPMENT PROBLEMS.

Economic
1. National Board for Small Scale Industries (NBSSI): It is a government agency
set up to give in-service training to workers and also to advise local entrepreneurs on
how to expand their businesses.

FUNCTIONS OF NBSSI
1. They give business advice to businessmen & women.
ii. They provide credit facilities to businessmen
iii. They provide training programmes to businessmen
iv. They give new entrepreneurs advice on how to start new businesses

2. Empretec Foundation
It is a non-governmental organisation (NGO) that helps medium scale business and
other organised groups to expand their businesses.

FUNCTIONS OF THE EMPRETEC FOUNDATION

i. They advice medium scale businessmen.

ii. They train people to acquire entrepreneurial skills to enable them to establish their
own businesses.

iii. They provide the needed equipment to help people start medium size businesses.

iv. They offer feasibility studies and market researches for businessmen.

3. Technoserve: It is a non-governmental organisation from America which helps

farmers in the country by giving them seedlings, pesticides and proper farming
methods just to increase agricultural output.

4. Action Aid: It is a non-governmental organisation (NGO) from Britain that helps

rural people by extension services and other social amenities such as good drinking
water. They also train teachers to train rural people on poverty reduction strategies.
They also provide healthcare services to the rural people.

5. Adventist Development and Relief Agency (ADRA): It is also a non-governmental

organisation. It is a church based NGO.

FUNCTIONS OF THE ADVENTIST DEVELOPMENT AND RELIEF

AGENCY.
i. It helps farmers by giving them extension services.
ii. It gives farmers seeds, fertilizers etc in the rural areas.
iii. It also gives health care services to the rural people.
iv. Finally, they give food aid to the rural people.

SOCIAL
1. Non-formal Education Division of the Ministry of Education-NFED of MoE:
This is a division under the ministry of education responsible for the following:

i. To enhance the living conditions of the illiterate adult especially those in the rural
areas.
ii. To co-ordinate literacy activities in the country. Its headquarters is in Accra and it
has offices in all the regions and districts in the country. It runs the literacy and
functional skills project. They use local languages such as Akuapem Twi, Asante
Twi, Dagaare, Dagbani, Ewe, Ga, Fante, Gonja, Gurune, Kasem, Kusaal, Nzema,
Sissali and English.

ACTIVITIES OF THE NFED

i. They help to develop functional literacy radio programmes for broadcasting.

ii. They train and support implementors and other literacy providers.

iii. They run the National Function Literacy Programme.

iv. They also give consultancy services to people.

v. They help to celebrate the international literacy day on every 8th September.

ACHIEVEMENTS OF NFED (IMPORTANCE)

i. It has helped to reduce the illiteracy rate in Ghana by educating most of the
illiterate adults and school drop outs.

iii. It has helped to improve the living status of the rural people in the country.

iv. It has helped to sensitise women about their rights, potentials and responsibilities.

v. It has helped in providing chances for school drop outs and even graduates of the
formal schooling system to have access to education again or to continue their
education.

PLANNED PARENTHOOD ASSOCIATION OF GHANA (PPAG)

It is a non-governmental organisation which educates the public about their
reproductive health, rights and responsibilities. They give family planning and
counselling services on Sexually Transmitted Diseases such as AIDS etc.

GHANA SOCIAL MARKETING FOUNDATION (GSMF)

This is also a non-governmental organisation which is engaged in educating the
public on reproductive health issues. They educate the public on the dangers of
HIV/AIDS and teach them the use of contraceptives.
Catholic relief services: It is a non-governmental organisation for the Catholic
church. They give assistance to the poor especially those in the rural areas by
donating food and clothing to them. They also help those who are suffering from
disaster.

NB: For solution to the political problems refer to chapter six (6) for DOVVSU,
NCCE and FIDA.

NON-GOVERNMENTAL ORGANIZATION
A non-governmental organization is an organization which is not owned and
managed by the government. It provides services on a non-profitable basis.

Examples of non-governmental organizations operating in Ghana

(i). Adventist Development and Relief Agency (ADRA)
(ii). Plan International
(iii). Catholic Relief Services (CRS)
(iv). 31st December Women's Movement
(v). World Vision International
(vii). Help Age
(viii). United States Agency for International Development (USAID)
(ix). Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA)
(x). Northern Ghana Aid (NOGAID)
(xi). Friends of the Earth (FoE)
(xii). Sasakawa Global 2000
(xiii). CARE International.

CONTRIBUTIONS OF NON-GOVERNMENTAL ORGANIZATIONS TO

THE DEVELOPMENT OF GHANA

(i)Provision of social amenities: Non-governmental organizations like World

Vision International provide social amenities such as schools, clinic, water and
public conveniences in rural communities.

(ii). Organization of relief services for disaster hit areas: NGOs organize relief
services for disaster hit areas. Eg. The Catholic Relief Services gives relief
assistance to most communities in the country.

(iii). Provision of equipment and materials to needy people: NGOs give

equipment such as hospital equipment and other materials to needy communities in
the country.
(iv). Award of scholarships: Some NGOs in the country award scholarships to
needy but brilliant students to further their education.

(v). Eradication of diseases: NGOs help to eradicate diseases in the country Eg.
Guinea worm etc.

(vi). Empowerment of women: Non-governmental organizations help to empower

women by giving them the necessary training and sponsorship. Eg. 31st December
Women's Movement.

(vii). Raising up of small-scale industries in the rural areas: They give

consultancy services to Ghanaians to conscientize them in the areas of small scale
community based development projects.

(viii). Provision of credit facilities: They give credit facilities to any group of people
to help eradicate poverty.

(ix). Training Programmes: They offer training programmes to farmers by

educating them on modern methods of farming.

PROBLEMS OF NON-GOVERNMENTAL ORGANIZATIONS.

1. Development of effective organizational structures: Non-governmental
organizations in the country are not able to develop good and effective organizational
structures because of lack of expertise.

2. Locating and Developing Staff: Non-governmental organizations in the country

find it difficult to locate and develop efficient staff to work with.
3. Obtaining appropriate funding: Non-governmental organizations find it difficult to
obtain funding for their activities.

4. Attempts at Governmental Control: Sometimes the government tries to control

the activities of NGOs in the country and this creates problems for them.

BENEFITS NGOs RECEIVE FROM GOVERNMENT

The government's assistance to NGOs is provided in the following ways:
1. Granting of exemption and reduction in taxes and duties to be paid by NGO and
donated items from abroad.

2. Providing tax reliefs to donors for donations made to NGOs for charitable
activities.

3. Providing support to facilitate NGOs' activities.

 HOW TO SEEK ASSISTANCE FROM NGOs.
i. Identify the assistance needed.

ii. Make contact with the organization through letters and visit.

iii. Show appreciation for the assistance rendered.

REGISTRATION OF NON-GOVERNMENTAL ORGANIZATIONS

The Department of Social Welfare registers NGOs in Ghana irrespective of their
registration with the Registrar General's Department or other agencies. The
Registration begins at the district office of the Department of Social welfare.

ESSAY TEST.

1 (a) Identify any four social problems facing Ghana today.

(b) For each problem identified in (a) suggest two ways of minimizing it.

2 (a) Identify any four economic problems facing Ghana today.

(b) For each problem identified in (a) suggest two ways of minimizing it.

3 (a) Identify any four political problems facing Ghana today.

(b) For each problem identified in (a) suggest two ways of minimizing it.
4 (a) What is a Non-Governmental Organisation?
(b) Identify any three Non-governmental organisations in Ghana.
(c)Explain any four contributions of Non-Governmental Organizations to the
development of Ghana.

5 (a) Identify any five agencies that are making effort to solve some of the country's
development problems.
(b) Describe the activities of any one of the agencies identified in (a) above.
 STRAND 4

SUSTAINABLE NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Teaching and learning activities
After learning this chapter, you should be able to:
1. suggest a programme for sustainable utilization of natural resources of the country.
2. design a plan for improving the health of the people of the country.
3. develop a programme for improving life and work in the rural areas.
4. assess the effects of democratic governance on national development.
[Link] a plan for decreasing the dependency on foreign financial support and
improving the image of the country.

SUSTAINABLE NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT.

Sustainable national development refers to the process by which a country manages
its economic growth through judicious use of the available resources without putting
future generation at risk. This means that while we use the resources for our survival,
we must ensure that we do not deplete them.

This is so because our natural resources are:

1. Finite in supply.

2. Some of the natural resources are non-renewable.

3. The natural resources are for the use of both we the present generation and future
generation.

CONSERVATION AND SUSTAINABLE USE OF NATURAL

RESOURCES.
Natural resources are free gifts of nature. They are provided so that human beings can
use them for their survival. Some of these natural resources are finite in supply. This
means they are limited in quantity. These natural resources are for the use of both the
present and future generation.

However some of the natural resources are renewable while others are non-
renewable. The renewable natural resources are those that can be regenerated after it
has been used e.g. soil, human beings, forest (trees), fish etc.

The Non-renewable natural resources include Gold, Diamond, Bauxite, Manganese,

Oil and water bodies etc. They are those natural resources which cannot be
regenerated after they have been used. We should therefore, ensure their conservation
so that some will be available for use by future generations for their own
development.
The problems of development in Ghana may be because of the following:
i. Continued reliance or dependence on foreign assistance.

ii. Continued reliance on primary production.

iii. Lack of management skills in the civil service and public sector.

HOW TO CONSERVE OUR MINERAL RESOURCES (I.E. GOLD,

DIAMOND, BAUXITE AND MANGANESE)

(i)Government must find alternative sources of export to stop the over exploitation
of the mineral resources.

(ii)Government must create mineral reserve areas for future use and those found
mining in these areas must be severely punished.

(iii). We must discourage activities of galamsay operators by punishing those who

are caught in them.

(iv). We also have to monitor the establishment and operation of mining companies
to make sure that they do not over exploit the resources.

(v)We must make efficient use of our minerals and make sure that we do not misuse
them.

HOW TO CONSERVE OUR TIMBER

[Link] must find other sources of furniture such as iron-chairs and plastic chairs.
This will help conserve our timber which we use in making beds, chairs and
tables.

ii. The government must find other sources of foreign exchange rather than relying
on timber which is the third national foreign exchange earner in the country.

iii. We must also find other alternative source of fuel such as Liquified Petroleum
Gas (LPG) and stop using timber as a major source of fuel such as firewood and
Charcoal.

iv. Alternative method of constructional work eg. We must use sand and iron in
building houses, bridges and board rather than timber.
[Link] must also practice afforestation by planting more trees to replace those that
are cut down.
vi. We have to practice forest reserves and those who go to such areas must be
punished.

HOW TO CONSERVE WATER BODIES

i. We have to educate the public to stop building houses close to water bodies.

[Link] must clear weeds that grow on water bodies.

[Link] education must also be intensified on the dangers of water pollution to

stop them from polluting water bodies.

[Link] have to plant trees close to water bodies to help reduce evaporation of water
bodies during the dry season leading to their being dried up in this season.

[Link] must also discourage bush fires which make water bodies to be dried up.
This can be done by education in the churches, mosques and schools on the
importance of water bodies and the effects of bush fires on water bodies.

vi. We have to reduce the use of chemicals such as DDT in fishing by educating the
public on that and punishing those who are caught as perpetrators.

HOW TO CONSERVE OUR COCOA

[Link] have to encourage the youth to go into cocoa farming by increasing the
prices of cocoa.

ii. We have to train more extension officers to educate our cocoa farmers on good
farming practices.

iii. We have to discourage Ghanaians from smuggling our cocoa into other
countries such as Ivory Coast by punishing those caught smuggling the product.

iv. The government must reduce or subsidise the prices of cocoa inputs.

v. The government must continue her mass cocoa spraying exercise.

vi. The government must provide social and infrastructural facilities such as water,
good roads, electricity, good schools etc to the cocoa producing areas of the
economy. This will help the youth to stay in those areas and produce the products.
WAYS OF PRESERVING THE FOREST VEGETATION IN GHANA.
[Link] must create forest reserves in the country.
The creation of forest reserves where people are not allowed to cut down the trees
or undertake farming activities can help preserve the forest. eg. Bui National Park
and Mole Game reserves. People are not allowed to enter without permission.

(ii)We must create sacred groves.

The creation of sacred groves will help to preserve the forest from being destroyed.

(iii)Reafforestation and afforestation help to preserve the forest.

Reafforestation which is the planting of trees to replace felled trees and
afforestation which is the planting of trees in areas without forest to create forest
help to preserve the forest.

(iv). The Prevention of forest from being burnt down.

Prevention of forest from being burnt down eg. creation of firebelts controlling the
activities of palm wine tappers, institution of fire brigades etc help to preserve the
forest.

(v). Adoption of better agricultural practices.

Adoption of better agricultural practices such as mixed cropping, cover cropping,
crop rotation and avoidance of improper farming methods help to preserve the
forest.

(vi). Public education on forest Conservation.

There should be education on the adverse effects of deafforestation and the need
to maintain the forest vegetation. This can be done by fire service, NADMO,
forestry commission etc.

(vii). Implementation and enforcement of existing laws.

All laws concerning forest preservation must be enforced. Eg. Control the felling of
trees, banning illegal lumbering or enforcing licenses for lumbering. This will help to
preserve the forest vegetation from being destroyed.

(viii). Provision of substitutes to forest resources.

We must provide substitutes to forest resources. Eg. Liquified Petroleum Gas
(LPG) instead of charcoal. This will help preserve the forest.

(ix). Control of Sand winning/mining activities.

The activities of Sandwinning and mining activities must be controlled. eg. people
should not be allowed to win sand or mine mineral in certain areas.
NB:It is important to conserve our forest because the Sahara desert is advancing at
5 Kilometres every year from the north of Ghana. So our country stands the danger of
becoming a desert area if we do not protect the forest.

WAYS OF IMPROVING THE HEALTH NEEDS OF GHANAIANS

[Link] of existing hospitals and Clinic Facilities: This will help in health
delivery. It will also make health delivery to improve.

[Link] Insurance Scheme: This will help do away with cash and carry system,
helping to make health care affordable and accessible to the people.

[Link] more health centres, clinics and maternity homes especially in the
rural areas: This will make health care accessible to everybody in the country.

iv. Training and retraining of health personnel: This will help reduce the high
doctor-patient ratio and lead to effective health care in the country.

v. Attractive remunerations, incentives and allowances for all categories of

health workers: This will motivate them to work hard and help to improve the
health care of Ghanaians.

vi. Non-governmental organizations, churches and donor agencies should be

encouraged to assist the health sector. This will help to provide health services
providing infrastructures since government alone cannot do that.

vii. Education on sanitation and environmental cleanliness: This will help

improve sanitation and help to prevent diseases caused by poor sanitation.

viii. Preventive health education. The disease control unit in the health sector must
be strengthened to help prevent preventable diseases to improve the health of the
people.

ix. Provision of Research centres in the health Sector: Establishment of research

centres in the health sector to provide information to birth and death registry. This
will help improve the health care of the people.

EXPLAIN WAYS BY WHICH IMPROVED HEALTH OF THE PEOPLE CAN

CONTRIBUTE TO NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT.

i. Absenteeism at work will be reduced. Improved health of the people will help
reduce absenteeism, since workers will go to work instead of hospital for treatment.
ii. High labour productivity: Improved health increases productivity since workers
are strong and healthy so they can work harder.

[Link] supply of labour: Improved health of the people leads to ready supply of
labour for the country.

iv. Improvement in personal savings and accumulation of capital. Improved

health saves the individual from spending money on treatment. The money that
would have been used for treatment is saved helping to accumulate capital for
future investment.

v. Increased life expectancy. Improved health makes one to live long.

vi. Full utilization of resources: Improved health helps the country to make full use
of her resources due to ready supply of labour and increased productivity.

vii. Government expenditure on health will be reduced: Improved health reduces

government expenditure on health. Since the people are healthy, the money that
would have been used for treatment is now used for development.

HOW EXPANSION AND IMPROVEMENT IN EDUCATION WILL

CONTRIBUTE TO SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT OF THE COUNTRY.

[Link] and improved education at the basic and senior secondary level will
help reduce illiteracy rate in the country.

[Link] increases and improves the human resource base of the country.

iii. Expansion and improvement in basic and senior secondary schools will give the
children the experience which is needed to help them choose the type of work they
will like to do in future.

iv. Expansion and improvement in basic and senior secondary schools will also help
to reduce social problems such as juvenile delinquency, armed robbery, prostitution
etc.

[Link] will also introduce pupils to a wide range of subjects for studies from J.S.S.

vi. It will provide pre-vocational for pupils because they are taught technical and
vocational subjects out of which they can make ends meet.

vii. It will lead to an increase in productivity.

viii. It will reduce superstition, ignorance and poverty especially among the rural
people.

ANALYSE HOW EXPANSION OF WATER, ELECTRICITY, TELEPHONE

AND GOOD ROAD NETWORKS CAN HELP IN INCREASING THE PACE
OF DEVELOPMENT OF THE COUNTRY.

(A)WATER: Expansion of water supply will bring the following:

[Link] of good drinking water to all parts of the country which will help reduce
diseases such as cholera, diarrhoea, dysentery and guinea worm which are caught
through the use of dirty water.

[Link] will also help to reduce rural-urban drift.

iii. It will increase employment for people who work in the water industry. Eg.
Mineral and iced water sellers.

(B). ELECTRICITY: Expansion of electricity will bring the following:

i. It will help to establish agro-based industries in the rural areas. Eg. Gari
processing factory, palm oil extraction factory etc. hence creating employment
in the rural areas.

ii. It will also help to reduce rural-urban drift since people will be happy at their areas

iii. It will make all parts of the country to be part of the global village since they can
now use computers, TVs etc to see and know what is happening in other parts of
the world.

iv. It will improve upon the health delivery in the country since most of the hospitals
will get electricity for most of their operations.

(C). TELEPHONE:

i. It will reduce rural-urban drift.

ii. It will also reduce the rate of road accidents in the country since people will
reduce travelling and be making telephone calls.
iii. It will improve the commercial industry since traders will be making business by
telephones hence saving time and energy while increasing incomes.
iv. It will increase research activities by the use of internet facilities which cannot be
done without telephones.

(D). GOOD ROAD NETWORK:

i. It will help to reduce the rate of post harvest losses since vehicles can go to food
producing areas and transport the goods to the places where they are needed.

ii. It will also reduce the rate of road accidents since bad roads always cause
accidents.

iii. It will also reduce rural-urban drifts as people now feel comfortable where they
are.

iv. It will also reduce traffic jams hence saving time while increasing productivity.

On the whole, the expansion of social amenities in the country will help reduce rural-
urban migration hence increasing development in the country.

DESIGN A PLAN FOR IMPROVING THE HEALTH OF THE PEOPLE OF

THE COUNTRY.

Improving the health status of the people means promoting their health needs. It calls
for measures s that will reduce the incidence of diseases as well as helping the
citizens to overcome problems which affect both their physical land mental well-
being.

The following measures should be considered:

i. Provision of health facilities: More hospitals, clinics and health centres should
be provided throughout the country. This will make health facilities accessible to
the people. Both the people and the government must take the National Health
Insurance programme very seriously. District assemblies and Non-governmental
organizations must all help in the provision of health facilities.

[Link] and Posting more medical personnels to Health centres: We have

to train and post more medical personnels to health centres in the country. We
must also improve the service conditions of medical staff in the country.
Besides, we must bond medical students to serve in the country for a specified
number of years to help solve the brain-drain. We have to train more local health
professionals like Traditional Birth Attendants (TBA) "Wazams", herbalists and
others to assist in the health delivery.

iii. Improving Nutrition: Nutrition refers to the process of nourishing the body.
Malnutrition is the result of nutrient deficiencies in the body. This causes
diseases called Kwashiorkor and Marasmus. To prevent kwashiorkor and
marasmus, we have to improve nutrition by reducing the birth rate, increasing
agricultural productivity by giving subsidies to farmers while reducing post
harvest losses by providing storage facilities. We have to educate Ghanaians on
preparation and need of balanced diet as well as paying workers better salaries so
that they can feed their families well.

iv. Improving sanitation: Poor sanitation causes many diseases. So to prevent

such diseases, we have to improve sanitation by education on the dangers of
poor sanitation, provision of facilities such as dustbins etc.
Sanctions against those who throw away refuse indiscriminately (anyhow).

EXPLAIN THE CONCEPT OF "DEPENDENCY"

on foreign bodies: It is a situation whereby a country relies on other countries and
international financial institutions such as the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and
Development (World Bank) for help.

WAYS IN WHICH GHANA CAN REDUCE HER DEPENDENCY ON

FOREIGN FINANCIAL SUPPORT.

1. Producing more to earn more income to live welI: We have to increase

productivity by growing what we eat. If we are self-reliant on food production, we
will not depend on any country for food aid. Increased production will also help the
citizenry to earn more income, reduce poverty and live well.

2. Adding value to primary products: We can add value to primary products by

processing them. This will make our primary products get better prices on the
world market. This will bring more money to the country enabling her to stop
depending on foreign financial aid.

3. Depending more on local expertise: We have to change our mentality to pay

attention to ourselves in solving our problems rather than looking constantly
Overseas for help. Doing it yourself is always the best way to learn and progress.
Outside help may be sought when it becomes absolutely necessary.

4. Patronizing made in Ghana goods: We have to encourage the consumption of

"made in Ghana goods" and stop the consumption of foreign goods. This will
decrease our dependence on foreign countries for food aid.

5. Training and retraining of our human resources: We have to increase training

in managerial skills in the public and private sector to help reduce mismanagement in
the economy. It will also help to rely on our own human resources for development.

[Link] more revenue locally: We have to generate more revenue locally.

This can be done by enlarging the tax net eg. the Value Added Tax. It can also be
done by exporting more non-traditional export commodities such as pineapples,
yams, banana etc and reducing smuggling.

7. Developing appropriate technology to suit local demand: We must develop

appropriate technology to suit local demand. Eg. we can use manure for farming
instead of importing foreign fertilizer.

8. Widening and Expanding the Export base of non-traditional products: We

must widen and expand the export base of non-traditional products eg. salt,
pineapple, pepper etc instead of relying only on Cocoa, Gold, and the rest.

9. Encouraging the Production and Consumption of Locally grown food crops:

We must encourage local farmers to increase production by giving them subsidies
and at the same time encourage Ghanaians to consume or eat locally grown food.
[Link] must eat locally grown rice instead of imported perfume rice.

10. Investment in research and development: We must invest into research and
development. Investing into research will help develop an appropriate technology
to suit our local demand.

DEVELOP A PROGRAMME FOR IMPROVING LIFE AND WORK IN THE

RURAL AREAS.

Measures to improve quality of lives in rural areas include:

[Link] of social amenities in the rural areas: The provision of social amenities
such as portable water, health facilities, electricity etc. in the rural areas will help
improve the life of the people in the rural areas.

[Link] up of agro-based industries: Establishment of agro-based or cottage

industries such as cloth weaving, basketry. beads raking and craft work in the rural
areas will provide better livelihood support to the people in the rural areas.

3. Reducing post-harvest losses: Reducing post-harvest losses through agro-

processing industries will help to improve the lives of the rural dwellers.
4. Expanding non-formal education: The expansion of non-formal education
throughout the rural areas will help rural dwellers to read, write and plan their
farming Work better.

[Link] better farming practices in the rural areas: The introduction of

better farming practices Such as application of herbicides, growing new varieties of
Crops, inter- cropping, planting in lines etc. will help improve the quality of lives in
The rural areas.

6. Providing quality formal education for rural dwellers: The provision of quality
formal education in the rural areas will help reduce ignorance and illiteracy as well
as reducing quality of lives in the rural areas.

MEANING OF DEMOCRATIC GOVERNANCE

Democratic governance is a type of government which is based on democratic
principles. That is, a system of government in which the wishes of the people are
taken into account in the process of governance. Democratic governance is based on
the following principles of democracy:

1.A good and workable constitution.

[Link] for the rights and freedoms of the people.
[Link] of the rule of law.
[Link] existence of political parties.
[Link] free and fair elections.

THE EFFECTS OF DEMOCRATIC GOVERNANCE ON NATIONAL

DEVELOPMENT.
i. Democratic governance brings about maintenance of the freedom of the individual
so that the individual can live and work in peace. This is possible because the rights
of the individual are respected. Hence, there are no human rights abuses.

ii. It ensures expansion of state support for private businesses unlike military
government and dictators who seize private property. Eg. The AFRC seized
people's properties from them in 1979.

iii. It brings about establishment of welfare programmes to help the aged and the
unemployed persons. Eg. President Kufuor's government embarked on cassava
and textile initiatives to get work for the unemployed. It also gave free medical
treatment to the aged.
iv. It increases foreign investment since investors like countries that are both
politically and economically democratic to ensure the safety of their money.

vi. It increases the credit worthiness of the country since the credit and donor
countries do not want to give loans and donations to countries that are undemocratic.
Eg. The world bank and the western countries put pressure on Ghana to return from
military rule to democratic rule in 1992.

Assess how far the common goal set by our founding leaders has been reached.

Ghana has achieved only the political and social principle of the common goal but
has not achieved the economic principles because of lack of adequate capital and
funds for development.

ACHIEVEMENT.
POLITICAL
i. We have not compromised on our independence since we had it.
ii. We have not ceded or given any part of our land to any outside force.

SOCIAL
[Link] have been able to strengthen our social institutions and national values. Our
family system, our chieftaincy institution and festivals are still with us though with
little changes.

ii. We have been forging a strong nation through social integration of all peoples and
all ethnic groups of the land. It is only in the north that we have some ethnic
conflicts.

ECONOMICAL
[Link] have not been able to be economically independent. So we are not self-reliant.
That is, we are not able to produce the major portion of our food and agricultural
needs. We are not able to manufacture many of our industrial and domestic needs.
We still import rice and others from other countries.

[Link] are not able to control the factors of production through public and private or
private/public bilateral arrangement. Eg. Our strategic areas such as
telecommunications are taken over by Malaysians who are foreigners. All the big
companies in the country are owned by foreigners who control our country.

iii. We have not been able to control or safeguard the value of our currency. Our Cedi
keeps on depreciating since independence.
 ESSAY TEST.
1. Explain what is meant by "Sustainable National development".
[Link] three ways by which the forest can be preserved.

3. State three ways by which the mineral resources can be preserved.

4. State how improved health of the people will help in National development.
[Link] ways by which life and work in the rural areas can be improved.
[Link] and explain benefits of sustaining democratic governance for nation building.
[Link] four ways of reducing dependency on foreign aid.

SEOND TERM.

STRAND 5

POPULATION GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT IN GHANA

Teaching and Learning objectives:
After learning this chapter, you should be able to:
1. explain the term Population
2. examine the structure of the Ghanaian population
3. analyse the effects of rapid population growth in Ghana on the family, the
community and the nation.
4. suggest ways in which social problems and rapid population growth could be
minimised.
5. explain the term "rural-urban drift" and its associated problems.

EXPLAIN THE TERM "POPULATION"

Population refers to the number of people living in a specific geographic area at a
specific time.

CHARACTERISTICS OF THE GHANAIAN POPULATION

The estimated population of Ghana in 1997 was about 18 million. In the year 2000,
the population of Ghana was 18.4 million. However, the final results of the 2010
Population and Housing Census (PHC) showed that the total population of Ghana as
at 26th September, 2010 was 24,658,823. The results indicated that Ghana's
population increased by 30.4 percent over the 2000 population figure of 18,912,079.
The recorded annual intercensal growth rate in 2010 was 2.5 percent as against 2.7
percent recorded in 2000.
The results revealed that there were 12,633,978 females and 12,024,845 males. This
implied that females constituted 51.2 percent of the population and males 48.8
percent, resulting in sex ratio of 95 males to 100 females. It also showed increase in
population density from 79 people per square km in 2000 to 103 per square km in
2010.

From the final results, Greater Accra (16.3%) and Ashanti (19.4%) regions had the
greater share of the population while upper East (4.2%) and Upper West (2.8%)
regions had the smaller share of the population.

Below are statistics showing how Ghana's population is growing

Year Population in (millions)

1931-3.2 an increase of 0.9 million in 17 years

1948-4.1 an increase of 2.6 million in 12 years
1960-6.7 an increase of 1.8 million in 10 years
1970-8.5 an increase of 3.7 million in 14 years
1984-12.2 an increase of 6.2 million in 16 years
2000-18.4 an increase of 6.2 million in 10 years
2010-24.6

The population is expected to double in about 23 years.

The age structure (how many old or young people): Ghana's population is
described as young and fast growing. This means that children are more than the aged
and the working force.

Below is the age distribution of Ghana's Population as at the year 2000 Census
Age Group Percentage
0-14 years 14.7
15-29 years 26.2
30-44 years 14.7
45-59 years 8.1
Above 60 years 4.6
 IMPLICATIONS OF GHANA'S POPULATION STRUCTURE
ADVANTAGES OF GHANA'S POPULATION STRUCTURE (GOOD
IMPLICATIONS).

1. Large labour force in the near future: The youthful population will provide a
large labour or working force in the near future.
2. Large market for children’s goods: A youthful population increases demand for
goods and services required for young people. eg. Toys

3. Promotion of specialization: A youthful population promotes specialization since

the young people will learn the various trades or vocations.

DISADVANTAGES OF GHANA'S POPULATION STRUCTURE (BAD

IMPLICATIONS).

4. Government expenses on social services will be high: The government will

have to spend a lot of money on the provision of social services.

5. High dependency ratio: The dependency ratio is high thereby placing too
much burden on the working population.

6. There will be low savings and low investment: The high dependency ratio will
put limitation on the individuals to save because they have many people to cater for
leading to low investment.

7. High government expenditure on pensioners: There will be high government

expenditure on pensioners in the near future since the working force will be
retiring soon.

8. High government expenditure on the youth and the Aged: The government
will spend a lot of money on the youth and the aged in the field of education and
health.

9. Development will be slow: There will be slow level of development due to the
high dependency ratio and low savings.

10. Low tax revenue: There will be low tax revenue since majority of the population
are not working.
Explain the Term "Population Growth": It refers to the rate at which the
population of a country increases in size within a given period of time. If a country's
population increases very fast, then we say the country has rapid population growth
or high population growth rate. If it is low, we say the country has low population
growth rate. Ghana has rapid population growth rate of 3.3 percent per annum.

FACTORS INFLUENCING POPULATION GROWTH.

1. Birth rate: This is the number of births per thousand of the population. If it
increases there will be high population growth and if the birth rate reduces, there will
be low population growth.

2. Death Rate: This is also called the mortality rate. It is the number of deaths per
thousands of the population. If many people die there will be low population growth
and if few people die, there will be high population growth.

[Link]: This is the movement of people from one place to another place.
Those who come into the country are called immigrants, while those who go out of
the country are called emigrants. If more people go out of the country there will be
low population growth while if more people come into the country there will be high
population growth

CAUSES OF HIGH POPULATION GROWTH RATE IN GHANA

[Link] Birth Rate: There is high birth rate in Ghana. This is due to high fertility rate
of 4.5 children per woman, early marriages and teenage pregnancy. All these increase
Ghana's population.

[Link] Death Rate: The death rate in Ghana is low due to improved health facilities
and others. This increases Ghana's population.

3 Migration Inflows: Because Ghana is peaceful there is too much immigration

inflows in the country. eg. Ghana is hosting refugees from many countries in Africa
while only few Ghanaians travel abroad. This increases Ghana's population.
 EFFECTS ON THE FAMILY
[Link] is poor maternal and child health. Mothers who give birth to many children
suffer from waist pains and others which make them unhealthy, Children also suffer
from other sicknesses such as kwashiokor etc.

[Link] is disintegration of the family as a unit. The family size becomes so large
that some members go away from many to form different families.

[Link] is high dependency burden on the family since parents have to cater for
more children.

EFFECTS ON THE COMMUNITY

iv. There is dwindling capacity of local institutions to meet the needs of the growing
population adequately. That is, local institutions become smaller in number and
therefore, insufficient.

v. There is pressure on social facilities eg, water, housing, schools, food,

transportation etc.

vi. There is development of slums in the community leading to the creation of other
environmental problems such as epidemics.

EFFECTS AT THE NATIONAL LEVEL

vii. There will be pressure on the nation's inadequate resources since the resources
of the nation such as agricultural resources, oil etc are not adequate to meet the
needs of a fast growing population.

viii. There is depletion of the nation's natural resources at a very fast rate eg. The
forest is depleted to get timber for furniture in the country.

ix. There is lower per capita income due to the large number of people produced
through rapid population growth. Lower per capita income directly leads to low
standard of living and poverty.

PROBLEMS ASSOCIATED WITH THE YOUTH

i. Substance abuse or drug abuse: i.e. young people will be abusing drugs such as
cocaine, marijuana, alcohol etc.

ii. Juvenile delinquency: i.e. young people with unacceptable behaviour.

iii. Teenage Pregnancies: Children below the ages of twenty will be having
pregnancies etc.

iv. Early marriages: Children will be marrying too early eg. at 16 years.

PROBLEMS ASSOCIATED WITH THE FAMILY

[Link] Promiscuity: People will not be faithful to their partners but will be flirting
with others money etc. all of poverty.

ii. Poverty: Families will be poor since parents have to care for more people.

iii. Broken Homes: There will be plenty divorce cases as poor marriage couples will
always be blaming each other leading to broken homes.

iv. Malnutrition: The family will be poorly fed because of poverty leading to
diseases such as Kwashiorkor.

NEGATIVE EFFECTS OF RAPID POPULATION GROWTH ON THE

DEVELOPMENT OF GHANA.
[Link] Pollution
ii High rate of unemployment
[Link]
[Link] in crime rate
V. Proliferation of slums
[Link]/Congestion
vii Pressure on Social amenities
viii High dependency ratio
[Link] medical care
[Link] in rate of migration
xi Pressure on natural resources or High cost of land
xii High cost of living/low standard of living
Xiii High government expenditure
xiv Social unrest
xv Environmental degradation
xvi Increase in social vices.

WAYS BY WHICH RAPID POPULATION GROWTH CAN BE REDUCED.

[Link] from early marriages:

This is when individuals avoid early marriage in the society. This will help reduce
the high birth rates leading to reduction in rapid population growth in the country.
[Link]/Legislation on early marriages
There must be strict laws to govern early marriages and child birth and those
who breach such laws must be severely punished. This will help reduce rapid
population growth.

[Link] Planning:
We must intensify family planning and birth control measures. This will help
reduce high birth rate and limit the number of children per family.

iv Education:
Citizens must be well educated on high population growth. Education on the
negative effects of rapid population growth will deter people from unplanned
birth.

v. Availability of Jobs:
Availability of jobs through poverty alleviation and job creation will help reduce
teenage pregnancies and early parenthood.

[Link] on immigration:
Immigration laws must be strictly applied. Limitations on immigration will help
prevent illegal immigrants and reduce the rapid population growth.

vii Tax relief for small households.

Tax-relief or incentives to people with low family size will encourage people to
have small family size. e.g. two.

viii Discouraging polygamy:

We have to discourage people from marrying more than one wife. This will
reduce the rapid population growth.

[Link] policies
There is the need for the government to implement the National population
policy to help regulate the rapid population growth rate e.g. family planning.

[Link] gender equality:

This will help reduce teenage pregnancies hence reduction in rapid population
growth rate.

[Link] Empowerment of women:

This will help reduce poverty of women and prevent them from prostitution and
pre-marital sex leading to reduction in rapid population growth.

xii. Encourage girl-child-education

Girl-child education must be encouraged to help reduce teenage pregnancies and
early marriages.

"RURAL - URBAN DRIFT"

Rural-Urban drift is the movement of people from the rural areas to the urban areas.
Eg. Moving from Banda Ahenkro to stay in Accra or moving from Atebubu to stay in
Kumasi.

CAUSES OF RURAL-URBAN DRIFT OR REASONS WHY YOUNG PEOPLE

DO NOT WANT TO LIVE AND WORK IN RURAL AREAS.

i. In Search of White Collar Jobs: Most of the youth in Ghana travel from the rural
areas to the urban areas because they do not want to farm but rather want white-
colar jobs like secretaries, accountants etc which are not available in the rural areas
but in the cities.

ii The Absence of Social Amenities in the Rural Areas: The youth travel to the
towns and cities to enjoy social amenities like good drinking water, electricity etc
which are not available in the rural areas but only in the urban areas.

iii. In Search of Good and Quality Education: Most of the youth travel to the urban
areas so that they can enjoy good or quality education which is not available in the
rural areas.

iv. Lack of Recreational Facilities in the Rural Areas: Rural life is boring because
of the absence of recreational facilities such as stadium, cinemas etc. So the youth
migrate to the towns and cities to enjoy these recreational facilities.

v. Prestige: Some of the youth want to come to the urban areas so as to get the status
and prestige or respect which the rural people give to urban people.

STATE SOME OF THE PROBLEMS THAT A MIGRANT FROM RURAL

AREA TO AN URBAN AREA IS LIKELY TO FACE.

i. Lack of accommodation or place of abode.

ii. Unemployment or lack of job.
iii. Frustration and regret.
iv. Hunger because of unemployment so there will be no money and no food.
v. Engaging in other kinds of social vices such as armed robbery and prostitution.
vi. Loneliness and absence of family comfort.
vii. Poverty due to unemployment.
Migration is the movement of people from one place to another to settle.

Emigration means going out from one's place to stay in another place.

Immigration is to come into a place to stay there.

WHAT ARE THE PROBLEMS OF RURAL-URBAN DRIFT IN THE RURAL

AREAS?

[Link] is increased incidence of broken homes: Most people leave their

wives and husbands in the rural areas. But when they come to the towns and
cities they do not go back and at the same time they do not allow their partners to
join them since they have no rooms in the towns and cities. This makes their
partners to be flirting with other people leading to broken homes.

[Link] is lack of supervision of children: When parents migrate to the urban

areas, they do not go with their children. So there is lack of supervision of the
children left in the rural areas resulting in high incidence of teenage pregnancies,
child delinquency and crime.

[Link] of women due to lack of support from male partners: Mostly those
who travel are men and boys leaving the women in the villages with their children
making the women to fend for the whole family without the support of the men. This
makes the women poor.

iv. There is low Agricultural Products in the Rural Areas: Normally those who
migrate are the active men and women who can do hard work. This results in
reduction in farm produce in the rural areas leading to shortage of food.

v. High Cost of Labour: The movement of labour or the active men and women
from the rural areas to the urban areas bring about shortage of labour in the rural
areas leading to labour charging higher wages.

vi. Low Level of Development in the Rural Areas: The poverty, low level of
agricultural products and high cost of labour will lead to low development in the
rural areas.

vii. Loss of population in the rural areas: When people leave the rural areas for the
urban areas, it decreases the rural population.

viii. Loss of Agricultural labour force: Mostly, it is the active men and women who
leave the rural areas for the urban areas. This leads to loss of agricultural labour force
in the rural areas.
ix. Loss of Traditional Cultural values: When people leave their traditional home
for the urban areas, they tend to look down upon their traditional cultural values in
the name of modernity.

WHAT ARE THE PROBLEMS OF RURAL-URBAN DRIFT IN THE

URBAN AREAS?

[Link] is increased unemployment or increase in urban unemployment

The movement of people into the urban centres will increase the number of
people looking for the few non-existing jobs leading to unemployment.

(ii) There will be pressure on social amenities: The increase in the number of
people in the urban areas will put pressure on the few social amenities Such as
schools, hospitals, electricity etc. This will lead to their rapid deterioration.

(iii) There will be increase in Crime Wave: The unemployment problem will lead
an increase in crime wave such as armed robbery, pick pocketing, fraud etc.

(iv) Creation of slums or development of slums: The lack of accommodation n will

force people to build houses anyhow without proper layout. This destroys the
beauty of the urban areas. Some people even sleep in kiosks.

(v) Increase in transport problems: The movement of people into the urban areas
Will lead to transport problems such as high traffic jam, people queuing in the lorry
stations waiting for cars especially during the rush-hours.

(vi) Increase in the spread of diseases: It leads to the spread of diseases such as
cholera due to filth and other Sexually Transmitted Infections such as HIV/AIDS
due to prostitution.

(vi) Increase in environmental pollution or environmental degradation: The

increase in urban population such as clearing the land to build houses, poor
sanitation, pollution etc. results in environmental degradation.

(vi)lncrease in social vices: It leads to an increase in social vices such as prostitution.

This is because most of the unemployed girls and those who are frustrated try to
allow men to have sexual intercourse with them for money which
they use to cater for themselves. The boys and some men also engage in
homosexualism.
(x) Streetism: The many problems of rural-urban drift eg. prostitution,
unemployment etc. lead to streetism. That is, there will be many children on the
streets without homes. [Link] children and street hawkers.

(x) High cost of living: It leads to high cost of living in the urban centres. This is so
because of the pressure on social amenities which makes service providers s to
charge high prices for them. Eg. High rent, high water and electricity charges,
high transport fares.

(xi) Increase in government expenditure: There is high government

expenditure to fight the problems created by rural-urban drift. Eg. Controlling
traffic congestion, fighting crime such as armed robbery. eradication of slums,
provision of social amenities etc.

HOW CAN RURAL-URBAN DRIFT BE REDUCED IN GHANA?

[Link] of Job opportunities in the rural areas: The government and the
private e sector must provide jobs in the rural areas to stop people from coming to the
urban areas to look for jobs.

[Link] provision of social amenities in the rural areas: The provision of social
and infrastructural facilities in the rural areas eg. good schools, good hospitals,
good roads and good drinking water would reduce the number of people drifting
to the urban areas to look for such facilities.

[Link] of industries in the rural areas: The development of industries

such as pottery, food processing, cloth weaving and basketry would provide
alternative Livelihood support to people living in rural areas.

iv) Extension of Electricity to all parts of the country: There is the need to
extend electricity to all parts of the country to promote the growth of small scale
industries and serve as an incentive to prospective entrepreneurs.

v) Speed up decentralization process: The government must speed up the

decentralization process to help develop the rural areas. It will, therefore, reduce
people moving into the urban centres.

(vi) Provision of Transport facilities to link the rural areas to the urban centres
The government must Iink the rural areas with transport facilities to the extension
of business and medical services to such areas. Transport facilities will
encourage farming and the siting of rural industries to prevent people from drifting
to the urban areas.
(vii) Improvement of agriculture in the rural areas There must be improvement of
agriculture in the rural areas by providing agricultural inputs eg. Fertilizers credit
facilities etc.

(vii) Easier acquisition of land: Land acquisition should be made easy. Land
tenure system should be revised to attract young people into farming eg. abusa
and abunu.

(viii) Changing outmoded traditional practices: We have to change and abolish

some traditional practices and beliefs eg. Female Genital Mutilation (FGM).
system etc. This will prevent some people from forced marriages, trokosi system
running away from their traditional rural areas.

(ix) Sensitization of the Youth: Sensitizing the youth on the dangers and negative
effects of the rural-urban drifts in the urban areas eg. unemployment, overcrowding
and prostitution.

(x) Providing ready market and guaranteeing prices for agriculture Products,
This will make agriculture attractive to the youth eg. Ready market and guarantee
prices for cocoa has made many farmers and youth interested in cocoa production. It
also helps to avoid post harvest losses.

(xii) Provision of recreational facilities: The government must provide

recreational facilities s in the rural areas eg. children's parks and zoological:

ESSAY TEST.
1. (a) Explain the term "Population"
(b) Describe the age structure of Ghana's population.

2. (a) ldentify any four social problems of rapid population growth in Ghana.
(b) Suggest any four ways of reducing rapid population growth in Ghana.

3. Explain the term rural-urban drift.

4. State five causes of rural urban drift in Ghana.
 STRAND 6
PROMOTING POLITICAL STABILITY IN GHANA
Teaching and learning objectives
After learning this chapter, you should be able to
1 examine the factors that promote the operation of democracy
2 Suggest ways for promoting political stability in Ghana.

EXPLAIN THE MEANING OF DEMOCRACY

Democracy is a system of living and also a type of government. It consists of a
system of government in which the wishes of the people are taken into account in the
process of government.

Abraham Lincoln defined Democracy as "government of the people, by the people

and for the people.

What are the features or characteristics of Democracy?

i. Majority rules but the views of the minority are considered or respected.

ii. There is tolerance and respect for human rights.

iii. There is regular free and fair elections.

iv. There is multi-party politics.

V. There is freedom of the press, freedom of expression, rule of law etc.

Vi. There is the prominence of public opinion.

FACTORS THAT ARE NECESSARY FOR THE OPERATION OF

DEMOCRACY AND REASONS WHY THEY ARE NECESSARY.

i.A good and workable constitution: This is necessary because it is the constitution
that will state the tenure of office of the president and will also protect the rights
liberties of the individuals from being abused.

ii. Respect for the rights and freedom of the people; This is necessary because the
rights and freedoms of the people are abused, it will bring political instability
hence destroying democracy.

[Link] of the rule of law: This is necessary because if some people are
made to be above the law while some are dealt with the law, it will bring political
instability.

[Link] existence of political parties: This is necessary because it gives the people
the chance to choose their leaders from the lot. lt also ensures political opposition
which serves as a watchdog on the ruling government.

[Link] and fair election: This is necessary because it gives the electorate
opportunity to change their leaders without the use of force.

[Link] Opposition: This is necessary because it criticizes government policies

constructively to ensure accountability.

vii Institutional Safeguards: Various institutional safeguards are necessary Such as

the independent judiciary to interpret the law, independent electoral commission to
organise elections etc. to help support the democratic system.

FACTORS RESPONSIBLE FOR POLITICAL INSTABILITY IN

GHANA.

[Link] giving the opposition parties the chance to campaign and take part in elections.

[Link] of state holding on to power for too long without stepping down for others;
eg. Nkrumah wanted to remain in power for life hence the 1966 coup d'etat.

iii. Mismanagement of the country's resources. Eg. President Nkrumah was

mismanaging Ghana's resources by using more money on African unity leaving
domestic affairs hence the 1966 coup d'etat.

iv. Human rights abuse by heads of state. Eg. Suppression of opposition and arrest
and detention of those who criticize the government.

[Link] there is no constitutional means to change a government. Eg. Absence of

periodic free and fair elections.

WAYS OF ENSURING POLITICAL STABILITY IN GHANA.

[Link] of divergent views: We must all learn to tolerate one another. Tolerance
of opposing Views can help promote political stability in the country.

[Link] the Views of the minority: The majority must also respect the views
of the individuals. This will help build national consensus hence e promoting
stability.
iii. Freedom of the Press: The press must be free to report, write or say whatever
they want without fear or favour. Nobody must intimidate or put fear on the press.

iv. Accountable and transparent g governance: Government or leadership must be

accountable to the people. They must make account of all the resources to the
people. The Auditor General must t b be effective, efficient and independent.

[Link] in authority accepting Constructive Criticism: Leadership or t those in

authority must accept constructive criticism. They must not punish those who
criticise them. This helps to promote political stability.

vi Observing rule of law ore enforcing the law: Those in authority must also
observe the laws and nobody should be greater than the laws. The law enforcement
agencies must also enforce the law to promote| peace and s stability.

vii Avoiding dictatorship: The government should avoid dictatorial practices like
arrest and detention, suppression of opposition etc, That makes people rebel
against government.

viii Promote ethnic integration: There must be effort to promote ethnic integration
through inter-ethnic marriages, boarding school system equity in sharing basic
needs etc.

ix Eschew politics of insult: We have to avoid politics of insult as this can bring
political conflict.

X Probity and accountability: We have to ensure the values of probity and

accountability. This brings openness and transparency in government.

xi Inculcating moral values in all members of the society: We have to inculcate

moral values such as honesty, transparency, obedience etc to all members in the
society to be law abiding.

xii Periodic free and fair elections: This is necessary because it gives the people the
opportunity to change their leaders without the use of violence or force.

xiii. Access to quality education: People must have access to quality education to be
able to make good and well informed choices. Education will also enable them to t
responsible citizens in the country.

Xiv Availability of employment opportunities: Unemployment can be a major ca

of instability. Therefore, to promote political stability, the government must create
employment opportunities for the people.
XV Eradication of poverty: Poverty can also cause political instability. So to
promote stability, government must introduce programs that will help eradicate
poverty.

[Link] tribalism or ethnicity: We must avoid tribalism or ethnicity. Respect for

each other's tribe or ethnic group will help prevent tribal conflict and promote
peace.

[Link] Stereotyping: People must avoid stereotyping. This will help promote
political stability in the country. No negative attitudes towards other people.

[Link] Policy for Successive government to follow: There must be National

policy for Successive government to follow. This can be done by the National
development planning commission. It will help build National consensus and
development.

LDENTIFY THE AREAS OF DISAGREEMENT BETWEEN POLITICAL

PARTIES.

[Link] priorities: Political parties disagree with one another as to which of the
problems of the country should be solved first. Eg. Should we build more schools or
buy more ammunition.

[Link]: They differ on how to raise taxes and how much taxes to be levied. Eg.
In 1994, the opposition parties demonstrated against the VAT introduced by the NDC
government.

iii National Expenditure: They disagree on how to use the country's money.

[Link]: They disagree with one another on how to design good programmes
to solve the problems of the country.

HOW CAN POLITICAL CONFLICTS BE RESOLVED IN A DEMOCRATIC

SOCIETY?
[Link] and open mindedness for the view of the opposing parties.

ii. Parties s must use dialogue to discuss the important issues.

iii. The decisions must be based on constitutional provision and in conformity with
national interest.
iv. Where differences persist, the case must be sent to t the Commission for Human
Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ).

v. The court must be used as the last resort in settling differences i.e. when all other
methods fail.

WAYS FOR PREVENTING POLITICAL CONFLICTS

i. Tolerance and open mindedness for the views of opposing parties. We have to
know that our political opponents are not our enemies.

ii. We have to respect one another and should not look down on any ethnic group.

iii. Political parties should not be f formed on religious, regional, tribal or ethnic
basis.
iv. The rights and freedoms of all the citizenry must be guaranteed and protected no
matter the political party they belong to.

V. All parties must be put on level grounds in terms of campaigning. No party should
be prevented from having the chance to campaign during election or from using
state media while others have access to it.

Vi. Politicians should be educated to campaign on issues and programmes rather than
using provocative and abusive utterances such as insulting their political
opponents.

vii. All decisions of the parties must be based on constitutional provisions and in
conformity with national interest.

Explain what should be considered as most important for the country.

i. Peace to live one's life without fear of arrest, theft or murder.

ii. Good education to acquire knowledge and employable skills.

iii. Good health facilities eg. Hospital (s), drugs and Health workers.

iv. Accountability of government for its actions to the people to help prevent
dictatorship and political instability.

v. Availability of jobs so that people can work and live decent lives.

vi. Availability of food at reasonable prices so that people can have access to balance
diet to avoid malnutrition.
 ESSAY TEST.
1. (a) Explain the term "democracy"
(b) State four features of democracy.

2. Name two factors that are necessary for the operation of democracy and give
reasons why they are necessary.

3. State and explain three factors that can promote political stability in Ghana.

4. How can political conflicts be resolved in a democratic s state like Ghana.

5. ldentify three factors responsible for political instability in Ghana.

6. State Four ways of preventing political conflicts in the country.

STRAND 7

THE YOUTH AND DISCIPLINE

Teaching and learning objectives:

After learning this chapter, you should be able to:

1. Explain the concept of discipline.

2. ldentify activities of indiscipline in society.

3. Examine the effects of indiscipline on the individual and the society.

4. Suggest ways for curbing the rate of in discipline in our society.

 DISIPLINE.

Discipline is the act of conforming to rules and regulations governing a group of

people or society. So to be disciplined means to be a responsible or law abiding
citizen of a country.

Activities of Discipline
[Link] to offer or accept bribe so as to be corrupted.

2. Abstaining from substance or drug abuse.

3. Not taking the law into our own hands.

4. Reporting a bad deed or bad person.

5. Protecting Community and National property.

6. Carrying out one's duties.

7. Obedience to rules and regulations in the society.

8. Fulfilment of tax obligations.

9. Using dialogue and negotiations to solve problems instead of unlawful strikes

and demonstrations.

10. Not urinating or easing oneself at unauthorized places.

11. Keeping the environment tidy and not littering it with plastic or ice-water
containers.

12. Using healthy and sound language or avoiding the use of abusive language such
as "foolish", "stupid" or "idiot".

13. Avoiding the use of the left hand in showing directions or giving things to others.

14. Using "please" and "thank you" for example, when speaking to an elderly person
or when demanding something or when your request is granted.

15. Using correct forms of greetings. For example, greeting with the right hand,
removing one's hat before greeting, bowing or kneeling when greeting a chief.
 BENEFITS OF DISCIPLINE TO THE INDIVIDUAL.
[Link] allows one to gain the respect and good will or trust of others.

[Link] prevents one from contracting Sexually Transmitted Diseases.

[Link] gives one a sense of self-respect and self-esteem.

[Link] qualifies a person to be described as "disciplined"

[Link] is a sign of good training or up-bringing or it brings honour to the family of the
person.

BENEFITS OF DISCIPLINE TO THE SOCIETY

1. It leads to increase in output through good working ethics such as punctuality.

2. It increases development due to increase in output and the fulfilment of individual's

Tax obligations.

4. It reduces the cost of services in the form of money which would have been used to
reform drug addicts or for providing security. Such monies can be used for other
things.

MEANING OF INDISCIPLINE
Indiscipline is the act of not conforming to the rules and regulations that govern a
society. One who does not go according to the rules and regulations of the society is
said to be a deviant or a social misfit or an indiscipline person.

Acts of indiscipline in the Ghanaian Society include:

i. immoral practices or child pornography.

[Link] to people

[Link] abuse

iv. cheating or defrauding

v. rape or defilement

[Link]

vii. careless driving

[Link] and corruption

[Link] speeding

[Link] for environmental rules on sanitation.

[Link] robbery

xi. insulting attitudes

xiii. intolerance

xiv. rebellion and illegal demonstration against authorities.

XV. poor working etiquettes / procrastination.

[Link]

xvii. examination malpractice

xvii. petty thieving.

xix. early pregnancy.

XX. vandalism

SOME ACTS OF INDISCIPLINE IN THE SOCIETY

Some acts of indiscipline in the society include poor or negative work ethics such as:
1. Lateness to work: Most Ghanaian workers are not disciplined. They come to
work late and leave the work place earlier than the closing time.

2. Bribery and corruption: What is common in Ghana now is collecting money

from people before offering them assistance or giving money to people to
influence them to do what is not right. This is bad.

3. Pilfering or stealing: Most workers take things from the work place for personal
use without permission. This is stealing. It must be stopped.

4. Absence without leave: Some workers leave their work places for their own
private businesses without permission. Some attend funerals, rest at home etc to
the neglect of their duties. This is indiscipline.

5. Substance abuse or Alcoholism: Most people use drugs in Ghana without

medical advice, others go to work drunk, some take marijuana, cocaine etc. Most
drivers drink alcohol while driving which causes accidents on our roads
abuse make people behave in abnormal way. Their thinking sometimes
irrational, unreasonable and senseless.

[Link] or illegal strike actions. Most often, workers refuse to go to work or

perform their duties to force the authorities to restore their rights or to demand for
better conditions of service without the due process. Eg. Nurses and doctors
always go on strike instead of using dialogue and negotiation. This is indiscipline.

7 Illegal Demonstrations: Instead of using peaceful and lawful demonstration as a

last resort, most Ghanaians often engage in illegal and violent demonstration
destroying state properties. They sing war songs and destroy state properties
instead of marching peacefully to the appropriate authorities to present their
petition.

8. Armed Robbery: This has become rampant these days. People use arms to attack
people in their houses and on the highways to rob them of their property. This is
indiscipline.

9. Prostitution: Most young girls now engage in prostitution. They offer themselves
for sex for money. This is illegal and indiscipline.

10. Building unauthorized structures: Most Ghanaians nowadays put up structures

without permit from the town and country planning. Others deliberately build their
houses on waterways. This causes flooding leading to loss of lives and property.

11. Improper disposal of plastic and other waste: Most Ghanaians after drinking
pure water, throw away the plastic rubber anywhere instead of putting it into dust
bins provided by the district assembly. This is an act of indiscipline.

12. Washing and defecating in water bodies: Some people wash or bath in water
bodies, others defecate in water bodies forgetting that some people use such water
for drinking.

REASONS THAT ACCOUNT FOR INDISCIPLINE IN THE GHANAIAN

SOCIETY.
[Link] Parenting: When parents fail to cater for their children, the
children tend to engage themselves in such deviant acts like stealing.
prostitution, drug addiction, teenage pregnancies etc.

[Link] of Media: The presence of pornographic materials on the media both

newspapers and magazines and the electronic media such as television. radio
and the internet have negatively influenced the moral fibre of most of the youth
and adolescent in the country.

iii The influence of foreign movies and culture: The infiltration of foreign culture
especially, the presence of foreign magazines and pornographic materials on the open
market has eroded our rich culture values like decent dressing, respect for the aged.

iv Unemployment: The high rate of unemployment in the country has made most of
the youth tend to engage themselves in vices like stealing, child labour, prostitution,
drug addiction etc. in order to survive.

[Link] pressure: Peer group pressure has also made some of the youth to engage in
acts of indiscipline. Most of them always want to take part in whatever activities their
peers are engaged in e.g. smoking, alcoholism, prostitution etc.

vi. Lack of education: Education enables people to be responsible citizens in

society. lgnorance or lack of education has contributed to the acts of indiscipline
in the country.

vii. Curiosity and adventure: Most of the adolescents are very adventurous or
curious in life. They always want to practice what they do not know or see others
practice, so as to know how it taste like. This sometimes leads them into bad
behaviours like stealing, prostitution, armed robbery etc.

[Link] unacceptable behaviours of some adults in society: The youth

tend to copy the irresponsible behaviour of adults easily. So when parents
engage in such activities as sex, drug abuse, smoking etc. their children tend to
copy them.

[Link] homes: Broken homes creates some unhappiness for children.

Sometimes due to the separation, the single parent may give the child liberty to
do whatever pleases him/her. Through this, the child may cultivate bad habits.

xi Pride in Practicing acts of delinquency, truancy or streetism: Some children

enjoy it when they are branded as 'Bad boys" or "Bag girls". They sometimes
engage in vices such as disobedience to authority, smoking, prostitution etc.

xii The use of drugs and alcoholism: The use of drugs such as "wee" or
"marijuana", cocaine and heroine cause indiscipline in the society because of
their bad effects.

xiii Inability to enforce rules against indiscipline by institutions: Because there

is no strict enforcement of the laws against indiscipline by the institutions such
as the police, armed forces, Customs etc to serve as deterrent to those who
engage in acts of indiscipline.

EFFETS OF INDISIPLINE ON THE INDIVIDUAL.

Some of the effects of indiscipline on the individual include:

1. It can bring illness on the individual: Some forms of indiscipline like drug abuse
and prostitution can affect the individual with sickness like madness and other
Sexually Transmitted Diseases.

2. It can also cause injury on the individual: Indiscipline in the form of illegal
strike actions and violent demonstrations can cause injury on the individual. Eg. some
people were injured during the "Wahala" demonstration in 2005.

[Link] can cause the death of the victim: Indiscipline in the form of armed robbery can
lead to the individual being lynched to death, prostitution and violent demonstration
can also lead to death. Teenage pregnancy can also lead to death during prolong
labour.

4. Disgrace: Sometimes the individual is looked down upon or talked about. They are
rejected by the society and they feel very disgraced. Eg. Many people follow a thief
with shouts like thief! thief! thief! because the society dislikes such behaviour.

[Link] from society: The individual becomes a social misfit and outcast
member of the society. Eg. Murderers.

[Link] individual can be prosecuted and imprisoned: Indiscipline is an unlawful

act so the individual can be prosecuted and imprisoned.

EFFECTS OF INDISCIPLINE ON THE SOCIETY

Some e of the effects of in discipline on the society or on Ghana include:
1. Low Output: This is because qualified people do not get the work they are trained
to do. More so, people who give bribes to get employed are not able to do the work
efficiently. So, Work does not get properly done. This leads to low output in the
country.

2. It retards development: This is because the low output leads to low level of
not get money for development. The little money will have to be used to maintain
development. More so, because people do not pay their taxes, government does
law enforcement agencies.

[Link] increases the cost of services: Eg. Health and security. There is high cost of
combating and controlling indiscipline. The government will have to raise more
money to maintain law enforcement agencies like the police, the law courts and
prisons.

4. It scares away investors: The general insecurity, armed robbery, bribery and
corruption will not attract prospective investors into the country. This is so because
they are afraid that their money will not be safe.

SUGGEST WAYS FOR CURBING THE RATE OF INDISCIPLINE IN OUR

SOCIETY.

Some ways to curb indiscipline include the following:

[Link] have to increase opportunities for employment: This will help engage the
youth in productive ventures. It will, therefore, reduce poverty, stealing and other
social vices.

2. Increasing access to education: This will help train the youth into employable
skills. It will also let them know the negative effects of indiscipline to the individual
and to the state.

3. Strict enforcement of the law: It is necessary that those who break rules and
regulations are given the appropriate punishment to serve as deterrent to others.

4. Good Parental care and control of the youth: Parents should provide for the
needs of their children. This will save them from unscrupulous men who lure them
with money for sex. Parents should also know where their children sleep, the
friends they move with etc.

5. Intensification of the Campaign against indiscipline. The campaign against

indiscipline such as the former vice president's campaign against indiscipline and
the Ministry for Roads and Transport campaign against instant or mob-justice
must be intensified on the television and FM stations.

6. control of the media and banning of Pornographic materials: The sale

pornographic -materials on the open market should be banned. Television
programmes must also be censored to do away with sex related and crime related
films on our television stations.
 ESSAY TEST.
1. Explain the terms youth and discipline.

2. Mention five characteristics of a disciplined student.

3. List five characteristics of a discipline worker.

4. Examine five effects of indiscipline on the individual.

5. Suggest five ways of curbing the high rate of indiscipline in our society.

6. Give reasons for the state of indiscipline in Ghana.