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ACCRA - Born on the day Ghana became independent from Britain, Godson Dag-Sosu has seen coups, food shortages and power cuts during his 50 years.
After a chequered independent history, punctuated by a spate of military takeovers known locally as "booms", Ghana stands as one of Africa's most respected democracies - an enviable status in a region racked by coups and wars.
As Ghana turned independent on March 6, 1957, the West African country's first president Kwame Nkrumah told his fellow citizens: "Ghana, your beloved country, is free forever."
It was an epoch-making proclamation that ushered in an era of independence for Africa after centuries of invasion, slavery and colonial rule.
Under the charismatic pan-African leader Nkrumah, the former British colony of Gold Coast, rich in palm oil, gold and cocoa, became the first black African country south of the Sahara to shake off colonial rule.
The Golden Jubilee independence anniversary, marked by lavish celebrations attended by world dignitaries, has prompted much soul-searching among Ghanaians.
"I can only thank God that I have reached this age. We have seen so many problems here in Ghana," said Dag-Sosu, who trained as a mechanic but now works in a travel agency.
Many Ghanaians see peace as the country's greatest achievement today - that and the fact their country gave the world former United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan, who ended a 10-year tenure in December.
Ghana's 1957 breakout from colonialism triggered a wave of independence movements and liberation struggles that changed the map of the African continent. In less than two decades, the patchwork of colonial dominions carved up by European powers at the end of the 19th century became a constellation of brave new states.
But Nkrumah's dream for a new Africa, strong, free and prosperous, rapidly turned sour in Ghana as his personalised rule led to persecution of opponents and his profligate spending brought the country's once-rich economy to collapse.
He was overthrown in a coup in 1966 - one of a spate of military takeovers that rippled across the continent and stained independence dreams with bloodshed.
Ghana stumbled from coup to coup until Flight Lieutenant Jerry Rawlings, himself a leader of two "booms" in 1979 and 1981, restored democratic elections in 1992.
Present President John Kufuor, who was elected in 2000, is due to stand down at elections in 2008.
For Dag-Sosu, the African nation's greatest failing has been the slow pace of economic development. He does now have water and electricity at home - a luxury absent from his childhood - and can provide for an education for his children. He could not afford to finish secondary school.
But he still lacks fulfilment. "Just imagine, I was born on Independence Day and I don't have anything. I don't have a house and I don't have a car," he said. "Economically, we could have achieved more but at least we are still going forward."
Compared with many struggling West African economies, Ghana can boast steady growth, low inflation, and rising gold and cocoa output that has attracted foreign investors. But its achievements pale when compared with South Asian economies, such as Malaysia and South Korea, that it saw as equals in the 1950s.
Leading The Way
* Geography: Area is 239,460 sq km and it is bordered by Burkina Faso, Ivory Coast and Togo.
* Language: English is the official language but Ga is the main local language.
* Population: 22.6 million.
* Ethnic groups: There are seven main ethnic groups, including the Akan (Ashanti and Fanti), 44 per cent, in the mid-southern part of the country.
* Religion: Christianity 50 per cent, traditional African religions 32 per cent, Islam 13 per cent.
* Economy: Ghana is the world's second-largest cocoa producer and Africa's second biggest gold producer.
- REUTERS
