| ID | 123504 |
| Title Proper | Resource curse or resource disease? Oil in Ghana |
| Language | ENG |
| Author | Kopinski, Dominik ; Polus, Andrzej ; Tycholiz, Wojciech |
| Publication | 2013. |
| Summary / Abstract (Note) | Ghana has recently joined the ranks of oil-producing states with a projected output of 120,000 barrels per day. This has greatly elevated hopes among the general public, but also sparked fears of a 'Nigerian scenario' in which oil becomes a problem rather than a solution. This article argues that Ghana, as a latecomer to the oil industry, may possess a structural immunity against the natural resource curse. The argument centres on three main factors: the country's stable political system, its relatively robust and diversified economy, and the strength of civil society. As a result, the usual symptoms linked to oil extraction across the developing world are unlikely to turn the country upside down. Instead, we suggest that the 'curse' should be perceived as a treatable 'disease'. The article pursues this analogy by showing that, since the discovery of oil, Ghana has been strengthening its 'immune system' through a new legal framework, improvements in transparency and accountability, and modest attempts to strengthen non-resource sectors of the economy. |
| `In' analytical Note | African Affairs Vol. 112, No.449; Oct 2013: p.583-601 |
| Journal Source | African Affairs Vol. 112, No.449; Oct 2013: p.583-601 |
| Key Words | Ghana ; Oil ; Natural Resources ; Civil Society ; Diversified Economy ; Developing World ; Economy ; Resource Curse |