Entrepreneurship begins at age four: Ghana is on the right track—but may be missing the target

Why Africa will not build great institutions through better laws alone, but through better human behaviour

The level of non-performing loans (NPLs) in Ghana has remained high in recent years, posing risks to the solvency of banks and the stability of the broader financial system. The severity of the issue has prompted the Bank of Ghana to revise its policy on problem-loan management to mitigate the related risks.

Kofi needed a police clearance certificate. The document itself is simple: it confirms that its holder has no criminal record, and the law says it should take five working days to issue. Kofi, applying for a job abroad, began the process on a Monday morning with every reason to expect a straightforward outcome.

A new statutory Authority and a GH¢110 million start-up budget give the government's flagship jobs programme legal teeth. But the gap between institutional architecture and 1.7 million promised jobs remains wide, and history offers little comfort.