OUR NATURAL AND HUMAN RESOURCES.

WAHT ARE NATURAL RESOURCES?

Natural resources are made up of all materials and non materials provided by
nature or God and help in the production of goods and services.

EXAMPLES OF NATURAL RESOURCES.

1. LAND RESOURCES: These include Agricultural soil and space for human
activities.

2. MINERAL RESOURCES: These include gold, diamond, manganese,

bauxite, crude oil and salt.

3. WATER RESOURCES: Theses include rivers, lakes, lagoons, streams,

seas etc

4. ATTRACTIVE NATURAL SCENERIES: These include beaches,

waterfalls, games, parks, forest reserves.

5. CLIMATIC RESOURCES: These resources include abundant rainfall,

sunshine, wind etc

TYPES OF NATURAL RESOURCES

a. Non renewal of natural sources: This is a form natural resources that

cannot be replaced after it has been fully utilised. Eg. minerals after they've
been mined cannot be replaced.

b. Renewable natural sources: This is a natural resource that can be replaced

after it has been used. Eg. tree can be felled and later replaced through re-
afforestation.

IMPORTANCE OF NATURAL RESOURCES FOR GHANA'S

DEVELOPMENT

WATER BODIES

1. We obtain fresh water from rivers and lakes for domestic and industrial
reasons.

2. We obtain fish from the sea, rivers, lakes and lagoons.

3. Some water bodies such as the river Volta are dammed to generate hydro
electric power.

4. Some of the water bodies serve as means of transportation.

5. We obtain water from some of the water bodies for irrigation.

6. We get some types of minerals such as gold, diamond and crude oil from
some of the water bodies.

MINERALS

1. Minerals provide jobs many Ghanaians.

2. Minerals provides foreign exchange for the country through the export of
minerals such as Gold, bauxite, diamond, manganese and crude oil.

3. The state obtains taxes from the companies engaged in the exploitation of the
minerals.

4. Minerals serve as sources of raw materials for industries such as the

aluminium and jewellery industries.

5. The minerals attract infrastructural projects, such as road, railways and

electricity to the areas where the minerals are located.

6. The companies engaged in the mining of these materials sometimes provide

amenities for the communities in which they operate.

FOREST VEGETATION

1. The forest provide jobs for many Ghanaians. Examples are forest guards,
hunters, timber contractors etc.

2. The forest serves as habitat for wild animals.

3. We obtain timber which we export for foreign exchange.

4. We obtain wood for charcoal, firewood or fuel wood and wood.

5. We also get material herbs which are used to produce herbal medicines.

6. The forest acts as wind breaks against strong winds.

7. Some of the forests serve as tourist sites.

8. The forests protect our water bodies such as streams and rivers.

ATTRACTIVE NATURAL RESOURCES

1. The natural sceneries such as game parks, waterfalls, beaches and forest
reserves provide employment for many Ghanaians.

2. The natural sceneries earn foreign exchange for the country as they attract
foreign tourists.

3. Infrastructural projects such as roads are extended to places to places where

these sceneries are.

4. The sceneries provide leisure facilities for Ghanaians and others who wish to
have relaxation .

5. The attractive sceneries such as the Mole Game Park, the Kakum Forest etc.
earn money for the state.

CLIMATIC RESOURCES

1. Abundant rainfall helps our cash crops to grow well.

2. Abundant rainfall fills our water bodies and prevents them from drying.

3. Abundant sunshine helps our crops to grow well and thereby increasing food
production in the country.

4. Abundant sunshine helps us to produce solar energy.

5. Abundant sunshine helps farmers to dry their crops. Example groundnut,

cocoa, maize, coffee and fish such as tilapia.

IMPORTANCE OF NATURAL RESOURCES TO THE

DEVELOPMENT OF GHANA.

1. Source of raw materials: Some natural resources such as forest products

serve as sources of raw materials for manufacturing goods.

2. Sources of food supply: The water bodies give us fish, crabs, shrimps,
lobsters and we cultivate crops to feed the population of Ghana.

3. Sources of foreign exchange: Over 60% of Ghana's exports are from natural
resources such as timber, minerals, cash crops etc.
4. Source of employment: Natural resources offer jobs to many Ghanaians.
These include farmers, fishermen, miners, loggers etc.

5. Source of taxes for the state: Individuals and companies engage in the
exploitation of natural resources pay taxes to the state.

6. Provision of infrastructure: Areas where human resources are located

benefit from infrastructural projects such as roads, railways, electricity, fishing
harbour etc

REASONS WHY OUR NATURAL RESOURCES ARE NOT

EFFICIENTLY EXPLOITED.

1. Low level of training: Many Ghanaians who are engage in the exploitation
of natural resources lack the necessary skills and training.

2. Lack of managerial skills: Experts who manage natural resources are very
few. This situation is affecting the efficient exploitation of the resources.

3. Lack of spare parts: The country does not have factories which produce
spare parts for the equipments used to exploit.

4. Inadequate capital: The equipment used to exploit the natural resources are
very expensive. Unfortunately, the country does not have the money to buy the
equipment to exploit the resources.

5. Poor infrastructure: Some of our natural resources are found in areas which
lack roads, railways and electricity. this prevents efficient exploitation of natural
resources.

6. Lack of political will: Governments past and present have not done enough
to exploit and develop available resources.

WAYS TO USE OUR NATURAL RESOURCES EFFICIENTLY.

A. Using appropriate methods: We need to use the right methods to exploit

the natural resources in order to avoid waste.

B. Using the appropriate tools: To ensure efficiency, we must use the right
tools to exploit the natural resources.
C. Adding value to our natural resources: We must add value to the natural
resources by processing them into finished and semi-finished products.

D. Finding uses for lesser known resources: We must exploit and use lesser
known resources such as cane and bamboo to conserve resources such as the
Odum( Oak ), Wawa, Sapele, Makore, Acacia.

E. Ensuring periodic and proper maintenance of equipment. The machines

and equipment used for production should be well maintained.

HUMAN RESOURCE

Human resources refers to the size and abilities of a country's population. It is

made up of skilled and unskilled labour.

Examples of unskilled labour in Ghana include Shoe Shine Boys, Porters,

Diver's mate, Hawkers etc

Examples of skilled labour include Teachers, Medical Officers, Carpenters,

Lawyers, Engineers etc.

REASONS WHY EDUCATED AND TRAINEDHUMAN RESOURCE IS

IMPORTANT

1. Identification of resources in the environment.

It is the educated human resource who is able to identify or discover other

resources in the environment. For example, a trained Geologist can identify
minerals such as gold, diamond, bauxite, manganese in the ground.

2. Making use of resources in production.

It is the educated human resource who can turn natural resources into goods.
For example, turning bauxite into aluminium.

3. Making policies to guide the use of the resources.

An educated and trained human resource is very important because they make
policies which ensure that our resources are exploited and used efficiently.

4. It is the educated human resource that makes the machines, equipment and
tools used to exploit and process the resources.
5. It is the educated human resource that looks for capital to be used to exploit
and process the resources.

WAYS BY WHICH OUR EDUCATED HUMAN RESOURCES CAN BE

USED EFFICIENTLY.

1. Improving the quality of human resources.

The quality of our human resource can be improved through education and in-
service training.

2. Proper placement of human resource.

It is important to employ and place people in jobs which they have received
training.

3. Supervision and motivation.

We must supervise and motivate our workers with incentives such as good
salaries, promotions, awards for hard work etc.

4. Making effective policies.

We must make good policies to help increase the activity of our human
resources.

5. Using appropriate technology.

We must encourage the use of appropriate technology and discourage the use of
traditional methods.

6. Ensuring safety on lour roads.

We must ensure safety on our roads to prevent loss of valuable human resources
through road accidents.