Yearbook 2002

Ghana. In September, a National Reconciliation Commission began work on investigating human rights violations under the previous military rule. In the period 1981–93 alone, at least 155 people were executed and a few hundred disappeared. The Commission will work for a year and can recommend damages to victims of the dictatorship. According to Countryaah website, national day of Ghana is every March 6. The kingdom of Dagomba king Yakubu Andani II and another at least 40 people were killed when a rival clan attacked the palace in the city of Yendi in northern Ghana in March. The massacre led to the resignation of two ministers in the Ghana government. A nicer news from Ghana ‘s traditional kingdom came in August, when the country’s big son Kofi Annan, UN Secretary-General, was awarded royal rank in Ashanti, the most powerful empire of the colonial era and still culturally influential.

December

Protesters storm the election commission’s office

December 17

Protesters protesting the results of the presidential election are gathering in the capital Accra. The protesters are dressed in the colors of the opposition, they burn car tires and storm the election commission’s office. The police use water cannons to disperse the crowd. A few days earlier, several hundred women gathered in protest against the result. Demonstrations have also taken place elsewhere in the country.

Akufo-Addo re-elected for the second term

December 7

In the presidential election, incumbent President Nana Akufo-Addo wins by a small margin over her main opponent and representative, John Mahama. The result determined by the election authority after a couple of days gives Akufo-Addo 51.59 percent of the votes, and thus victory in the first round of elections. John Mahama gets 47.36 percent, while ten other candidates share the remaining fractions. However, Mahama and his party NDC reject the election commission’s statement and intend to appeal the result. This is not the first time that an election result in Ghana has been tried in court, the result is usually respected by both parties. In the current parliamentary elections, Akufo-Addo’s NPP party will receive 137 seats according to preliminary results, while 136 seats will go to the NDC and one to an independent candidate.

Top candidates sign peace pact ahead of election

December 4th

In the run-up to the upcoming presidential election, Ghana’s two top candidates will meet and sign an agreement pledging to respect the outcome of the election. In the agreement, they also promise to distance themselves from groups of young men who were previously hired by the parties as security guards and to mobilize voters, called vigilantes. Citizens, however, tend to accuse young men of violence and harassment against opposition supporters. Last year, a law was passed banning the use of such militia-like groups.

Ghana Country Overview

Visas
Finns need a visa to Ghana. Visas are not available from Finland, the nearest embassy in Ghana is in Copenhagen. If you wish, we can arrange visas through us for an additional fee.

• According to ABBREVIATIONFINDER.ORG, GHA stands for Ghana.

Insurance
Every person participating in the trip must have a valid travel insurance that covers medical expenses in the event of illness or other similar need. Please check the validity of your own insurance and the terms and conditions of the insurance cancellation cover.

Please pay attention to the special nature of your trip and check the coverage of the insurance in that respect as well.

Currency: The currency of Ghana is Cedi (1 € = approximately 5.5 GHS).
Credit cards are accepted at most hotels and some shops, but the use of cash is recommended.

In the largest cities you will find several ATMs as well as money exchange points where the local currency is exchanged from several different currencies.

In general, VISA-labeled cards work better with ATMs and as a means of payment.

Vaccinations In
addition to the basic vaccinations (tetanus, diphtheria and polio), hepatitis A vaccination is recommended for the trip. We move in the malaria area, so prophylaxis is recommended. Yellow fever is also present in the country and a yellow fever vaccination certificate must be included. Check the vaccination requirements at your health center or the vaccination advice of the tourist clinic at

Time difference to Finland
Ghana’s time difference to Finland is -2 hours in winter and -3 hours in summer.

Electric current
230 V, 50 Hz. You need an adapter for Finnish devices.

Mobile phones
Check with your operator for the coverage of your mobile phone. Ghana’s area code is +233.