Ghana is a beautiful African nation and one of the most peaceful nations in West Africa. It has incredible ethnic diversity, rich cultural heritage, and history, which attracts tourists worldwide. There are several problems that Ghana has been facing for years, and despite being addressed, these problems seem never to end. The Major issues facing Ghana include the following;
1. Unemployment
Lack of employment has been a significant problem facing many nations across the globe. The Young people of Ghana have been experiencing this problem over the last two decades. These people constantly seek employment but can’t find any work in Ghana. The most affected age group is between 18 to 30 years.
Approximately 20% of the total youth population suffers unemployment problems. Around 50% of the young people in Ghana experience the issue of underemployment despite being employed. Although many organizations are working towards linking young people to the right jobs by matching their skillset, underemployment remains a significant problem since most people opt to do any kind of work rather than stay unemployed. Others end up being employed for lesser capacities and job descriptions. There are several agencies that are meant to empower young people in Ghana and help them with skill training and internship programs.
2. Illiteracy
Illiteracy is still a significant problem facing the people of Ghana. It is the inability to communicate fluently, write, and understand the official languages. Educational reforms in Ghana have contributed significantly to improving the literacy level to around 80%. Although the Ghanaian government has put in place some agendas to eradicate illiteracy, it remains a critical problem, especially among adults.
3. Poverty
More than 5.2 million people in Ghana live in extreme poverty. The major issues associated with poverty include corruption, illiteracy, and unemployment. Poverty is a major setback, especially for people living in rural areas and slums. It is a crucial cause of rural-to-urban migrations, which has resulted in crowding in urban areas. Poor living conditions and lack of proper sanitation are issues linked to crowding in urban areas.
4. Lack of Access to Education
This problem mainly faces people living in remote areas in Ghana, where infrastructure is still problematic. The poor learning environment, poor educational infrastructure, shortage of qualified teachers, and lack of enough teaching and learning materials in most rural areas have failed the education sector. The lack of access to education dramatically contributes to illiteracy and poverty across many regions of Ghana.
5. Isolation
It is the isolation of people living with disabilities. It is a social problem that has existed in Ghana for many years. People with disabilities are generally excluded from places, including the academic environment and work. Ghana has no good infrastructure for disabled pupils and students. Besides, many employers do not offer chances to disabled people. Most organizations in Ghana do not accord opportunities equal to potential candidates; they only focus on people without issues and are granted first priority.
The government of Ghana introduced the Persons with Disabilities Act of 2004 to solve the isolation issue, but these laws have not yet solved the problem of social exclusion.
6. Corruption
Corruption exists in most critical sectors of government in Ghana, resulting in poor management of public funds and bad conduct such as general fund embezzlement, nepotism, and bribery. Although Ghana is not among the most corrupt nations in Africa, corruption is still a significant problem. The lack of accountability by critical sectors of the government has contributed costed the country’s economic status. The government of Ghana has formulated some strategies to curb all these problems.
