Final answer:
Factors contributing to the inefficient use of Ghana's natural resources include poverty, mining activities, deforestation, increasing populations, and historical exploitation.
Step-by-step explanation:
The inefficient use of Ghana's natural resources can be attributed to several factors:
- Poverty and exploitation: Poverty and the exploitation of natural resources often result in environmental degradation. Ghana's heavy reliance on oil and gas extraction has caused oil spills that pollute freshwater supplies and destroy ecosystems.
- Mining: Large-scale mining activities in Ghana have led to land devastation, loss of habitats, and pollution.
- Deforestation: The timber industry and clearing for agriculture have contributed to deforestation in Ghana, leading to soil erosion and loss of biodiversity.
- Increasing populations: The growing population in Sub-Saharan Africa, including Ghana, has put pressure on natural resources, resulting in deforestation and environmental degradation.
- Historical factors: Colonial forces exploited and depleted Ghana's natural resources, leaving the country with limited agricultural and mineral wealth.