AN INVESTIGATION INTO THE CRITICAL INFRASTRUCTURE THAT THE GOVERNMENT OF GHANA SHOULD INVEST IN TO MOVE BEYOND AID

ABASTRACT Purpose: This paper aims to investigate and identify the most critical infrastructure that the government of Ghana should invest in to move beyond aid. As such, it offers a clear understanding of the role the “resource for infrastructure swap” agreement between China and Ghana in the Sino-hydro deal is supposed to play in the development of Ghana’s economy. Design: This paper uses quantitative and qualitative techniques such as interviews and case studies from Ethiopia, Angola, and Nigeria to analyze complex entry decisions and success as well as the failures and problems that might arise from the resource for infrastructure swap initiative. It is based on the analysis of case studies from countries like Angola, Ethiopia, and Nigeria, that have had this similar agreement with China. It further recommends the best infrastructure the government of Ghana should invest in for development Findings: The research concluded that there are five types of critical infrastructures that the government should invest in to move beyond aid. These are in order of importance: the education sector, the food, and agriculture sector, the public health care sector, the transportation sector, and the energy sector infrastructure. Originality/ value: This is the first comprehensive study that advice the government of Ghana on which infrastructure they should invest in based on the analysis of the past Sino hydro project deals in other African countries including Angola, Congo, Ethiopia and Ghana itself.