Ghana Keeps Borrowing But Can't Provide Common Power & Health Insurance

Not very long ago, till the middle of 2013 Ghana had received $13.9billion Chinese aid, it was the second biggest Chinese loan to West Africa and more than the entire loan acquired in the whole of East Africa from the Chinese people.

Chinese investment and development aid to Ghana totalled $13.96 billion starting from the year 2000 showing from the latest Chinese compilation of data. According to global research firm Open Data for International Development (Aid-Data), Ghana officially received the money between 2001 and 2011.

Ghana, therefore, positions the second biggest receiver of Chinese aid in West Africa after Nigeria with $16.43 billion, quoting from the "data" released in April 2013. This rates the Chinese aid to Ghana (over) $3 billion more than the the aid to the whole of East Africa which had just about $11 billion.

Ghana's aid from China was also bigger than what South Africa received from China which was $3.03 billion during the ten-year period. However with the said aid (loan) there "should be under normal circumstances" about 78 Chinese financed projects in Ghana, according to the provided list to the data.

Most of the projects in Ghana are said to be on ENERGY, HEALTH, infrastructure, agriculture and transport among others. But then, where are those projects and the question is how really effective are the so-called projects functioning (in terms economic development) in Ghana, if the Government cannot provide his people with common energy (electric-power) and there since a very long time a total "blackout" (in terms of energy) almost through out in the country?

Where are the projects in Ghana or the rest of the money?

China’s aid to the continent of Africa during that period was $75 billion as indicated by the Aid-Data indicated based on reported figures from the media, Aid-Data tracks Chinese development finance to Africa.

FRANCIS TAWIAH (Duisburg - Germany)