The Political Economy of Natural Resource Extraction in Ghana: A Central African Perspective

Ghana's natural resource sector has been a significant contributor to its economy for decades, yet it is fraught with political and economic challenges. The analysis employs an interdisciplinary approach integrating insights from political economy theory, public policy, and empirical data to assess the sector's performance and challenges. The examination reveals a pattern of extractive industries contributing approximately 20% to Ghana's GDP, yet this economic benefit is unevenly distributed across regions and sectors. Policy recommendations are proposed to enhance governance practices in natural resource extraction, aiming for more equitable distribution of benefits and sustainable development outcomes. Implementing transparent revenue management systems and strengthening regulatory frameworks to ensure fairer distribution of profits from extractive industries is suggested.