Time with Koo Ntakra

GhanaTalksRadio
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Koo Ntakra discusses anything and everything relating to Ghanaian culture. He also brings guest on the show to discuss various topics.

  1. 42m ago

    Land disputes in Ghana

    LAND DISPUTES IN GHANA *Scale:* Over 60% of court cases in Ghana are land cases. Lands Commission says 80% of land in Ghana is unregistered.*Root Causes:**1. Tenure System Confusion*- 80% stool/skin/family owned- 20% state owned- No clear boundary between stool and family = chief and family head both selling*2. No Central Database*Until 2020, we had paper records. One person can get indenture from Gbawe, go and register different name at Kaneshie. System not linked.*3. Urbanization Pressure*Accra land value increased 1,000% in 10 years. So chiefs who sold land in 2005 for GH¢1,000 now claim sale was invalid and resell for GH¢80,000.*4. Weak Enforcement*Land Act 2020 (Act 1036) bans land guards, says jail 5-15 years. But police rarely enforce.*Most Affected Areas (GA):*Amasaman, Pokuase, Kwabenya, Katamanso, Oyarifa (your area!), East Legon Hills, Dodowa, Kasoa.*Solutions Ghana Is Trying:*- Land Act 2020, Act 1036 - All land sales must be in writing, witnessed by Lands Commission- Customary Land Secretariats - 70+ offices in chief palaces to record sales- Digitization - http://ghana.gov.gh land search now*What to do if you want to buy land today:*1. Search at Lands Commission2. Search at District Assembly (is it road reserve?)3. Do site inspection with 2 different elders from community4. Get 3 signatures: Vendor, Chief/Queenmother, Family Head5. Register within 1 monthNeed sample indenture? Or cost breakdown for plot registration?

  2. 3d ago

    Musiga

    MUSIGA - Musicians Union of Ghana The ONLY recognized union for musicians in Ghana. If you sing, rap, play instrument, produce - this is your umbrella.*President Now:* Bessa Simons (Legendary highlife keyboardist - "Belembe" fame). He's been president since 2023.*What they do for you:*- Health Insurance: They get you NHIS card. Many musicians get sick with no insurance, so MUSIGA pays.- Welfare Fund: If you are member in good standing (pay dues), when you die they give minimum GH¢5,000. If you are sick/old (60+), you get from Ageing Musicians Welfare Fund.- Workshops: Teaching how to upload on Spotify/Boomplay, how to make money from streaming (many old musicians still using CDs)- Protect Highlife: Just got UNESCO to declare Highlife as Intangible Cultural Heritage in Dec 2025. Now doing "Highlife to the World" campaign - Barcelona concert August 2, 2026 with Stonebwoy, Obrafour etc.*Current Drama:* People dragged them early this year when they gave GH¢500 at Yaw Sarpong (Asomafo) one-week. Bessa said: "It was just one-week solidarity, not funeral donation. Plus Yaw Sarpong hadn't paid dues in 7 years, so not in good standing. We did it out of humanity."*How to join:*Go to MUSIGA office - Accra, or register when they tour regions. You pay annual dues.You be musician? For Amasaman side? I fit tell you how to register.

  3. Sep 28

    Housing deficit in Ghana

    Ghana Housing Deficit - Latest as of 2026*Current Figure: Over 1.8 Million Units*Confirmed by Minister for Works and Housing, Kenneth Gilbert Adjei, on Jan 28, 2026 at Government Accountability Series.*Why it keeps getting worse:*- Urbanization: Over 50% of Ghanaians now live in urban areas, projected to hit 72% by 2050 - everyone rushing to Accra, Kumasi, Takoradi- Cost of building: Cement bag went from GH¢8.50 in 2008 to over GH¢110 today, 90% of materials imported- No mortgages: Mortgage-to-GDP ratio is less than 1% - banks charging 30%+ interest, nobody can afford it- Supply vs Demand: We build ∼40,000 houses a year, but need ∼170,000 a year to close gap*What you see on the ground:*- Overcrowding (family of 6 in single room)- Slums / Kiosks growing (Old Fadama, Ashaiman expansion)- Rent in Accra: 2-bedroom now GH¢2,500-4,000 per month in decent area*Government Plan Now:*- GH¢3 Billion revolving housing fund for cedi mortgages (15-20 year loans)- "My Home, My Peace" program - 14,000 affordable units:- Studio: $13,220 (GH¢ ∼210k)- 3-bedroom: $42,550 (GH¢ ∼680k)- Completing stalled projects in Saglemi, Asokore Mampong, etc.*Real talk:* Even 1.8m might be underestimation. Some experts say if you count houses not fit for humans, it's closer to 2.5m.Are you looking to build, rent, or you need this for school project? I can break down cost of building 2-bedroom in Accra now.

  4. Sep 25

    The power of music

    The power of music is that it does what no army, no money, no sermon can do.*1. It can change your state in 8 seconds.*A sad person puts on a Shatta Wale or Burna Boy track and in 8 seconds his shoulders are different. No drug acts that fast. No pastor preaches that fast. Music bypasses your logic and talks directly to your nervous system.*2. It can make strangers become one.*Go to Afrochella. 10,000 people who don't know each other, don't like each other, but when Black Sherif says "Kwaku the Traveller" - everyone sings the same line. For 3 minutes, there is no tribe, no class, no Ghana vs Nigeria. That's power governments don't have.*3. It can heal what medicine can't.*In our villages, they don't play music when someone is happy. They play when someone is sick, grieving, giving birth. Science now proves it: music lowers cortisol, lowers blood pressure, helps stroke patients walk again. Nkrumah knew this - that's why every CPP rally started with drums.*4. It is a time machine and a weapon.*- The Americans used jazz to break racial segregation.- Fela Kuti used Afrobeat to fight military dictators in Nigeria.- Yaa Yaa and Efya use voice to fight heartbreak in Accra.One song can outlive an empire. We don't remember the name of the British governor who jailed Nkrumah, but we still sing the songs they sang in prison.*5. It remembers you when you forget yourself.*Alzheimer's patients who forget their own children still remember the songs of their youth. The last thing to leave the brain is music. Because music is not stored in memory. It IS memory.That is why King Saul called David to play the harp when the evil spirit tormented him. It wasn't entertainment. It was warfare.*Question for you:*If your life right now had a soundtrack, what song would be playing?Tell me, and I will tell you what spirit you are carrying.

  5. Sep 21

    Celebrating Dr Kwame Nkrumah

    Osagyefo Dr. Kwame Nkrumah* - Ghana's First President and Founder:- Full Name: Francis Nwia-Kofi Kwame Nkrumah- Born: September 21, 1909 in Nkroful, Western Region, Gold Coast- Died: April 27, 1972 in Bucharest, Romania (aged 62)- Parents: Father Kofi Ngonloma (goldsmith), Mother Elizabeth Nyanibah- Wife: Fathia Ritzk (Egyptian, married 1957)- Children: Gamal, Samia, Sekou Nkrumah- Title: Osagyefo means "Redeemer" in Akan*EDUCATION*- Roman Catholic school in Half Assini, then Achimota College, Accra - trained as teacher- Taught in Elmina and Axim- 1935 - Went to USA: Lincoln University (BA 1939), University of Pennsylvania (MSc Education 1942, MA Philosophy 1943)- President of African Students Organization in America- 1945 - Went to London: London School of Economics, organized the 5th Pan-African Congress in Manchester with George Padmore*POLITICAL JOURNEY*1. 1947: Returned to Gold Coast as General Secretary of UGCC under Dr. J.B. Danquah2. 1948: Arrested after Accra riots with Big Six3. 1949: Broke away and formed Convention People's Party (CPP) - motto: "Self-Government NOW"4. 1950: Started Positive Action - strikes and boycotts, imprisoned by British for sedition5. 1951: While in prison, CPP won election - British released him and made him Leader of Government Business, then Prime Minister in 19526. March 6, 1957: Led Gold Coast to independence as Ghana - first black African country to gain independence south of Sahara. Famous words: "Ghana, your beloved country is free forever!"7. 1960: Ghana became Republic, Nkrumah became first President*ACHIEVEMENTS*- Built Akosombo Dam (Volta River) - still powers Ghana- Built Tema Motorway, Tema Harbour, schools, hospitals- Free education, Africanization policy- Founded OAU (now AU) in 1963 - leading Pan-Africanist- Union with Guinea (1959) and Mali (1960) to form union of African states- Won Lenin Peace Prize 1962*DOWNFALL*- Became more authoritarian after several assassination attempts- Made Ghana one-party state in 1964 - President for life- Economy worsened, personality cult grew- Feb 24, 1966: Overthrown by military/police coup while on trip to Beijing. Went to exile in Guinea under Sekou Toure.*LEGACY*He died in 1972 but remains the symbol of African liberation. His books: Africa Must Unite, Autobiography, Consciencism.Kwame Nkrumah Circle, Kwame Nkrumah University, his Mausoleum in Accra are named after him.Want me to make this into a 1-page social media carousel or a video script about him?

  6. Sep 18

    Content creation

    Content creation  using your African Maps - made for Ghana audience (it goes viral here). POST 1: VIRAL TIKTOK / REELS (Highest views)*Video: Use the Full Africa Map**Caption:*Africa is NOT a country! We are 54 countries + 5 regions.I bet you didn't know Ghana is on GMT line (0°) How many African countries can you name? *On-screen Text (3 seconds each):*1. "Africa is NOT one country!"2. "54 Countries"3. "North - 7, West - 16 (We are here ), Central - 9, East - 19, South - 10"4. "Follow for Part 2 - All capitals"*Hashtags:*#AfricanMap #Geography #Ghana #Accra #LearnAfrica #54Countries #AfricaIsNotACountry #WASSCE #GhanaTikTok*Sound:* Use trending "African" sound on TikTok---POST 2: INSTAGRAM CAROUSEL (6 slides)*Slide 1:* Full Africa map - Title "THE 5 REGIONS OF AFRICA"*Slide 2:* North Africa map - "7 Countries - Home of Sahara"*Slide 3:* West Africa map - "16 Countries - Our Home "*Slide 4:* Central Africa - "9 Countries - Congo Forest"*Slide 5:* East Africa - "19 Countries - Kilimanjaro & Nile Source"*Slide 6:* Southern Africa - "10 Countries - Diamonds & Gold"*Caption for Insta:*Save this for later! Your complete African Map breakdown.Which region have you visited? I have only been to West Africa Comment your country flag! ---POST 3: QUIZ STORY / STATUS (For engagement)*Image: Blank African Map*Text:"CHALLENGE Can you find Ghana on this map without help?Screenshot and circle it! First 5 correct I will repost #AfricanMapQuiz"---*BONUS: Hook ideas that work in Ghana:*- "Why does Ghana have the best jollof? Because of our location " (show West Africa map)- "If Ghana was to travel to South Africa by road, we pass through 5 countries"- "The reason your WASSCE geography is hard - you don't have this map"Want me to:1. Create the BLANK map for your quiz post?2. Write a 30-sec TikTok voiceover script in Pidgin/English?3. Make a thumbnail that says "54 COUNTRIES"?Which one should I do first?

  7. Aug 31

    Street beggars

    In Ghana, most street beggars fall into 3 groups you can easily tell apart:*1. Organized Foreign Rings*Mostly from Niger, Mali. You see women with 2-3 kids at traffic lights. They are brought in by someone who houses them and takes the money at the end of the day. They are the biggest group now — over 60% in Accra.*2. Persons with Disability*Ghanaian men and women on wheelchairs, crutches, or blind. Usually at Makola, Kaneshie, Circle. They beg because formal jobs won't hire them. Many are actually skilled — shoe making, phone repair — but have no capital.*3. Medical / Emergency Beggars*With a hospital paper or photo. "Help me pay for my child's surgery". Some are genuine, some are fake — always verify at the hospital.What Accra is Doing About ItAMA + Social Welfare just repatriated over 1,000+ street beggars last year, but they come back because there's no long-term program for them.LEAP (Livelihood Empowerment Against Poverty) pays only GH₵64 - GH₵106 every 2 months — not enough to survive.If You See Them Daily, What Actually Works?Don't just give coins at the traffic. If you want to make real impact:- Buy from them if they sell something — water, handkerchief, groundnut. That's dignified.- For kids: Don't give money. Give food + report to Department of Social Welfare 0800 0800 800. Giving money keeps them on the street.- For disabled: Ghana Federation of Disability has skill training centers. You can refer them.- For mothers with babies: 90% of babies used are drugged to sleep all day. If you see that, call Police 112.If you're dealing with beggars disturbing your shop or area in Amasaman, the best channel is to go to your Assemblyman and let AMA Social Welfare pick them up — they won't arrest them, they take them to a shelter at Madina or repatriate.Were you thinking of helping one person you see, or clearing them from a location? The approach is very different.

  8. Aug 24

    Unnatural death

    Unnatural Death refers to any death that is not caused by natural disease or old age.In law, medicine, and insurance, it’s a specific classification.*1. Main Definition*A death caused by outside factors, not the body failing on its own.*2. Types of Unnatural Death*Type Examples**Accidental** Road accident, drowning, fall, electric shock, fire, poisoning**Homicidal** Murder, manslaughter, assault**Suicidal** Intentionally taking own life**Iatrogenic / Negligence** Wrong medication, surgical error - debated category**Environmental / Animal** Snake bite, animal attack, lightning strikeA natural death would be: heart attack from heart disease, stroke, cancer, old age, pneumonia, etc.*3. How It’s Determined in Ghana 1. Coroner’s Office / Pathologist* does an autopsy if death looks suspicious2. Police report required - for accident, suicide, or suspected foul play3. Death certificate - Doctor will write “unnatural death” or specific cause like “RTA” (Road Traffic Accident)4. Hospital referral - Cases are sent to Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital (KATH) or 37 Military Hospital for post-mortem*4. Why The Classification Matters*1. Legal: Police investigation is mandatory for unnatural deaths2. Insurance: Life insurance often pays differently. Some policies exclude suicide in first 1-2 years3. Cultural / Religious: Burial rites may change. Some churches/traditions have special rules4. Family: Needed for court, inheritance, and closure*5. What To Do If It Happens to Someone*1. Don’t touch/move the body - preserve scene2. Call police - dial 112 or 18555 for Ghana Police3. Call ambulance - dial 112 for National Ambulance Service4. Wait for investigation - Body may go for autopsy before release5. Seek support - Unnatural deaths are traumatic. Talk to family, pastor, or counselor*6. Grief Is Different*Losing someone to unnatural death is often harder because:1. It’s sudden and shocking2. There may be blame, questions, or police cases3. No chance to say goodbye4. Media / rumors can make it worseIt’s okay to feel angry, confused, or numb. It takes time.---Are you asking because:1. You’re studying law / medicine / forensics?2. For insurance or legal paperwork?3. You’re supporting someone who lost a person this way?Tell me so I can help you more specifically. And if you or someone you know is having thoughts of self-harm, you can talk to someone in Ghana at +233 24 401 9115 / 20 - Lifeline Ghana.I’m here for you

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About

Koo Ntakra discusses anything and everything relating to Ghanaian culture. He also brings guest on the show to discuss various topics.

Information

  • Creator
    GhanaTalksRadio
  • Years Active
    2022 - 2026
  • Episodes
    260
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Show Website
    Time with Koo Ntakra