Case study - Ghana neo-colonialism?

Question 1

Year of independence, progress and problems

Answer 1

1. 1957 Ghana gained independence from Britain
2. Recently made progress in eco+social indicators e.g. GNP up to $14 bil from $5bil
3. However, is Ghana still influenced by external factors that link to neo-colonialism?

Question 2

External factors

Answer 2

1. Commodity markets London+NY - prices depend on global demand, competition with Ivory C for cocoa, Ghana prices to high - buyers purchase from other countries
2. Overseas tariffs - EU import tariffs much higher to processed cocoa than raw beans = Ghana better of exporting raw cocoa beans as costs lower = means Ghana unable to develop own processing industries as most done in EU = lost on on value added
3. WTO - before 1995, Ghana govt subsidised farmers to encourage them to stay on land+grow food for growing cities, Ghana then joined WTO attempt to increase global trade, WTO imposed condition that farmers no longer subsidised = farmers no longer compete with imports of heavily subsidised foreign food e.g. EU tomatoes cheaper to buy than home-grown ones