ghana-english-asr-2700hrs

audio audio	corrected_text string	duration_ss float32
	He made mention that if your pastor tells you, if you ask your pastor who you should vote for and he mentions uh the name that you should vote for, that is the person you should vote for. Who has your pastor told you to vote for? Dr. Yun. There is no two ways. I wouldn't even think twice. Is	14.32
	that what your pastor is telling? Yeah, definitely. I'm a Methodist. I'm a Methodist and I believe in my hymns. Do you know this song? A child to keep I have and a God to glorify. a time to	12.4
	serve the present age and a calling to fulfill and that is the calling that we are fulfilling today and that is why I make I keep on making that assertion that we have a duty a clarion call to	11.84
	rally support behind Dr. A man when his name is mentioned, the only thing that you hear Ghanaians saying is he the man who promoted STEM education, is he the man who is seeking	12.4
	to educate everybody and make a better living for the good people of Ghana? Is it the one that you are talking about? And that is what uh the Good Bible tells us. Look for knowledge. When you get the knowledge, use it for the benefit of your people. He's a man that we can	14.96
	rally support behind to ensure that we bring prosperity to the good people of Ghana. [Music] [Applause]	12.44
	still processing what really happened and then um knowing the my boss Dr. Obama uh was his immediate uh deputy, director of elections, work closely. I mean, a	13.92
	brother, a friend, a confidant. I mean, we did things together. I mean, uh the strategies that we use for the election	11.52
	for money was three, four, five. Now, check out one. It's no more. So, we have to take the pieces and put it together. and then uh take on and and make sure that his	12.4
	legacy uh lives on. I mean that's the only thing we have a huge legacy especially the the activate the body camera for the election directorate.	11.84
	We will continue to to use it. Um it's a code I mean he gave us the the tools to decode it and then it helped us a lot. So we will use it as his legacy to to to continue	14.32
	to build a robust election directorate a winning machinery for the NDC and uh so that his name will be each on on this metallic system that we are	13.6
	designing for the party. When you say that his legacy would continue to live on aside what you just mentioned, is there any other thing that all of you collectively coming together would do to make sure that indeed his legacy does live on?	14.08
	Well, that's why we we said the principle on which he was living. Uh I've learned a lot from him. That's why I normally usually call him my my teacher and lecturer. Money has taught me life	14.88
	that you must not have problem with anybody and that's why for a very long time I hardly have problem with people uh because he said appreciate everybody listen to them take their views on board	13.2
	if you can't assist don't harm that was money for you if you can't assist somebody don't create another difficulty for that person I mean so these are things that we should embide in our	11.84
	everyday life and I believe the party yesterday the general secretary national chairman said it how to fill in the vacuum is not going to be easy	11.6
	losing such a a brainy gem um at this prime time of the party 8 months in office for us to lose such a gem is is is touching it it's hit us hard	13.28
	it hit us that and that is why we are going in the to Koforidua because he was passionate about it. That very morning uh he he gave us a strategy. We had a meeting with him that very morning. They	13.52
	will the August 7 in the morning. By 7:45 we are done. He didn't let us know that he was traveling. We took out the strategy. We're going to start the implementation in the evening and report back to him only for him to lose his life in the	14.72
	afternoon. So you can imagine such a person who was passionate in winning that bi-election it to be in the right place for us to go and win the election in his glory. I	11.76
	mean to to to let him know that what he wanted we have actually achieved it for him. So would you would you say that you agreeing or not uh continuing countering with the what the MP was hoping that you	14.88
	would do in relation to the equity elections. If you are to not contest it would be a level of some level of disappointment to the memory of Dr. Manbama. Not certainly of course already	13.52
	we were going in for that election because we believe the election was rigged by our opponent and we were contesting it in court to the extent that the member of which we were contesting died midway and then	13.84
	so the matter became moved in court and so naturally we have to go back and activate our processes that's why we elected our parliamentary candidate ahead of that before this crash came in but we are saying that	14.16
	designed a strategy for us on the morning for us to continue the process before the the crash came. So we have to continue to just show that the strategy he gave us we will execute it and make	14.4
	sure that it comes to pass. What would be the message that you would give to the bereaved family? They should take heart. They've lost a son but we are there to represent them. They they still have other sons that they can rely on. uh we will still give	14.48
	them the shoulder they needed as a family. Uh yesterday I was with the mother and then they listen and we are there for them. We will continue whatever money started and and see to it	13.36
	logical conclusion we will continue it we are still there for the family. We although naturally it's not going to be easier for them but we will continue to do whatever Obama was doing for them as their son and the children they still	14.08
	have fathers a lot of fathers in the at the party to to give them the the shoulder that they need uh to continue their life. Thank you very much	12
	[Music] in the field to perform this approach in the field and so forth plowing and as we can see the machine is	14.09
	really working as tested here while plowing. Next slide please. So this is a machine operating or doing the plowing. You have waffle planting	14
	wing. Next slide. Waffle harvesting w receiver. And the radio receiver it helps to provide	13.28
	information or indicate the power when the power is in the fire. Then we have our four tracking body sensors. And the factors include the blood pressure and the rate of the farmer. So	13.12
	benefit of to the farmer is important for the farm but is also available to practice. It helps to talk to the farmer before they start	14.48
	also helps to educate the farmer and the farmer and inform the farmer when the farmer is in the farm. W also help to check the the body strength. They remove the environment	12.48
	and social impact of environment to reduce the reliance on coal. Hence reducing the impact on climate change. It also helps to reduce plastic and	10.96
	metal in the environment as some of also help to reduce reliance on child labor. Heat up	11.03
	here.	3
	and wing commander. Let me bring in Ken official retired who is also with us. Uh he obviously has followed all that happened. Thankfully a lot of this was live and so we we saw it and the reason why this conversation is important is	13.76
	that we must say as a country that we don't want to repeat this we must learn the lessons if there are lessons to be learned and ensure that we put in place measures real actionable steps to ensure	12.16
	doesn't recur. Um, based on your assessment, we had a lot of time now to look at the facts as we know it. Based on your assessment, on your experience in the Ghana armed forces, what's your what's your own reading of	13.6
	the way this incident in the immediate aftermath was handled? One, securing the site, two, um, the search and rescue efforts, all which would have fed into the quality investigations that you expect um, after an incident like that.	14.48
	First, good evening to your good self, to my senior friend, wing commander, and my very learned friend Bright. Let me	13.28
	express once again sincere condolences to all of us in the bereaved um family. Now, I might have indicated already on	11.6
	news file that I I'm writing a paper. So the information that I have is a bit different from some of the points that are being put across	13.52
	including by events. What is clear to me is that 14 minutes after the helicopter took off at 09twelve	14
	it went off radar. But wing commander will explain to us technically that when a plane is off radar, it does not mean that it is lost. It is just that the radar cannot find	14.24
	it. So in this case, maybe the Z9 was flying below 1,000 ft there about based on what raiders were operating	12.96
	um at any material time. The ETA or ETAA was 102 not 10:twelve. It should have taken the helicopter twelve sorry	13.76
	fifteen minutes all things being well to have arrived at Abuasi. So when it went off radar, the air traffic controllers both at	13.84
	civil aviation and the air force were going by international practice waiting for 30 minutes to lapse and if they had not heard from the plane	13.6
	nan and the 30 minutes is important because I saw that in the in the manual that we've all been reading today nan that govern nan then another 30 minutes 1 hour. So by 1twelve thereabout that was when	14.4
	the distress signal was placed and I have information that the Ghana air force called central command and ask them or told them that we're expecting	13.76
	this helicoptercopter to have landed at Abuasi by so and so time. Do you have any wind of it? Can you if you like look for it?	11.76
	Now what the go central command did was then to contact the 4bn forward operating base ati that this plane was scheduled to land at	13.28
	landed in the course of time the news started filtering out remember we are talking of 1100 hours plus	12.88
	so the general officer commanding in addition to deploying the forward operating base to look for the plane in and around Obuasi as a commanding officer of forward operating base to now	11.84
	deploy a search and rescue team. It's on record, the record that I have shows that the search and rescue team deployed by four infantry battalion got	13.76
	to the crash site by 1,400 hours. Now remember that the eyewitnesses who saw the plane crash saw it much much much earlier	13.44
	nan around 095355 the plane had crashed. The locals who were in the forest has seen it. They started moving to the crash site and has	12.24
	started taking away um broken parts and so which are critical exhibits. So in this case you cannot fault let's say the security services	13.36
	because of distance indeed compared to which took 3 days to find the crash site. This crash site was found the same day you and I were here when the coffins	12.96
	arrived in the night of the six. nan Yeah. nan Unless maybe I'm confused again. You remember on news file I said look under this circumstance a second	12.56
	helicoptercopter should have been deployed to try and identify or locate a crash site. Indeed the second helicoptercopter the MI17	12.88
	which was positioned at Tamil to support operation Maburi that is Boko crisis um issues was directed or tasked to move to Kumasi	14.24
	which it did. Then another plane fixed wing the Kasa twelve5 transport plane left ARA with investigation team. Now that Kasa twelve5	13.44
	which sent investigation team on the same 6 of August was the one that returned with the coffins. However, given the time that it took from 14 in fact as I said the military got to the	14.96
	scene 1400 hours. The regional minister got to the scene at about fifteen00 hours with the fire service, with the police service, national ambulance service. Given the time that it took to find all	14.96
	the body parts, remember we are not talking about full bodies, we have been very diplomatic to say we have found bodies. But there were largely body parts that were being pulled from call it the slope	14.64
	or the ditch. It took time. The original minister had also intended that if it was possible they should find the black box. Now that was when nightfall caught up	13.52
	with them. So therefore when it became obvious that the site had been found, it was no longer necessary for the MI7 to fly into the air.	13.12
	The original idea was to locate and then if necessary to now use a winch or whatever to leave the bodies into the plane MI17 Russian and fly them directly	13.68
	to Ara. So under the circumstance they had to bring the bodies as we know and the conditions that some of us are saying was not dignifying in the ambulances	13.28
	contrary to practice but you can put dead bodies into ambulances provided that after that you sanitize the ambulances. So that was what was done. Central Command had deployed two	14.16
	military ambulances, one of which I am told was recently directed to be sent to Kumasi by the CDS on his visit when the command said, "Oh, we don't have enough ambulances." So the	14.08
	two military ambulances plus one from National Ambulance Service 3 were the ambulances that were used to return the bodies if you like to the airport where the CASA twelve5 that had brought the	13.6
	investigation team was waiting to now take the bodies transfer them from the sacks into proper body bags and then into the aircraft.	12.4
	Indeed, the coffins that we saw in Ara were all arranged during the flight. The bodies were put in the coffins on the flight. The Ghana flags were draped or the coffins were draped with the Ghana	14.8
	flags during the flight. So these are some of the circumstances. It is not very accurate that the search team didn't get there in good enough time. Indeed, we are thankful	14.96
	that the villages or the locals helped in identifying the crash site although in some instances they have also contaminated and disturbed the crutch site which will make the work of the	13.28
	investigators difficult. Then again we need to note that the investigation team the preliminary investigation team pit not the revolutionary pit was in	11.76
	command on the six. So all the bits and pieces were falling in place. Now talk about body bags. There were body bags as my. nan Yeah. I mean before I go to body bags on	14.08
	the question of holding off the crash site and securing it. Um what what what have you learned? Because yes team got there and when we got there indeed there were military officers, there was Nadmo, there was police, there's fire service. Yes. But people still had access to the	14.72
	site. I mean overnight into the morning. What really happened there? Well, I need now to, you know, go back to my sources and say, okay, when you retrieved the bodies, the eight bodies or body parts,	14.16
	did you leave a team overnight to secure the place, which is very critical in the procedures that Bright is referring to, accident site, crime scene site, and	14.56
	indeed, let's say I'm very careful not to attempt I have a fairly good idea what might have happened. nan But that is not why we are here and it's premature nan because if we are hasty we might just	14.48
	end up you know um embarrassing some people but the point is that the team that went there did the job for the day. I'm not sure whether the	13.44
	military planned that it was necessary to leave an element whether a section two sections whatever the element is nan definite. Yeah. nan Yeah. Fortunately this site like when	13.68
	commander said is not savannah. We have all seen it is only accessible virtually along that foot path and the least mistake one made as your reporters	11.92
	have said and you slipped. you were going down range. So all that the security team that's the cordoning team needed to do was not even to coordinate the whole area but to identify the	12.88
	footpaths leading into and out of the crash zone and then to secure them. Now as of now I cannot tell whether the military did that or they all withdrew and	14.16
	then the following day went back because the security presence should also assist you know the investigation team to continue with the forensic	12.88
	investigation. However, on news file, I mentioned nan at the time that national security appeared to me and still appears to me to have played a key role. nan Yeah.	12.96
	nan Even if you withdrew the military, even if an assumption that you withdrew them and there were national security elements in and around the area, let's say under the circumstance, it was	13.84
	okay. But ideally you should have had armed personnel nan and I can confirm that there was national security operatives there. A lot of them in fact they they were led by the deputy Ashanti regional national security coordinator himself who was on	13.12
	site. nan So the these are the the the facts that I think help a bit to contextualize anything you can call search and rescue	14.32
	and preliminary investigation team. Yeah. nan Now in between in between the two when you come to the nitty-gritty things that should have been done you could see maybe there were a few gaps a few lapses	14.8
	here and there you know that all of us must not run away from because as Bright has been emphasizing the idea is to ensure that and in my paper I've said that the next time it happens we must be	14.8
	ready we must be prepared. nan Yeah. Yeah. And for me that is the primary objective of this conversation. Bright [Music]	12.11

End of preview. Expand in Data Studio

🇬🇭 Ghana English ASR Dataset

A speech dataset of Ghanaian English extracted from Ghanaian news media broadcasts, designed for training and fine-tuning Automatic Speech Recognition (ASR) models on West African English accents.

📂 Dataset Structure

Column	Type	Description
`audio`	Audio	16 kHz mono WAV audio segment
`corrected_text`	string	Verbatim transcription of the audio segment
`duration_ss`	float	Duration of the audio segment in seconds

📊 Statistics

Metric	Value
Total clips	729,476
Total duration	2706.77 hours
Mean clip duration	13.36 s
Min / Max clip duration	0.24 s / 37.13 s
Mean words per clip	33.4
Min / Max words	1 / 141
Vocabulary size	328,236 unique words
Sample rate	16,000 Hz (mono)

🚀 Usage

from datasets import load_dataset

dataset = load_dataset("ghananlpcommunity/ghana-english-asr-2700hrs")
train = dataset["train"]

example = train[0]
print("Transcription:", example["corrected_text"])
print("Duration (s):", example["duration_ss"])
print("Audio array shape:", example["audio"]["array"].shape)
print("Sample rate:", example["audio"]["sampling_rate"])

Fine-tuning with Whisper

from transformers import WhisperProcessor

processor = WhisperProcessor.from_pretrained("openai/whisper-small")

def prepare_batch(batch):
    audio = batch["audio"]
    batch["input_features"] = processor(
        audio["array"], sampling_rate=audio["sampling_rate"], return_tensors="pt"
    ).input_features[0]
    batch["labels"] = processor.tokenizer(batch["corrected_text"]).input_ids
    return batch

dataset = dataset.map(prepare_batch, remove_columns=dataset.column_names)

🎯 Intended Use Cases

Fine-tuning Whisper, Wav2Vec2, MMS for Ghanaian / West African English
Building accent-aware ASR pipelines for Ghanaian broadcast media
Linguistic research on Ghanaian English phonology and prosody
Low-resource African language / dialect ASR benchmarking

⚠️ Limitations

Domain-specific: broadcast news only, may not generalise to conversational English.
Speaker diversity not formally audited.
Transcriptions may contain occasional errors in proper nouns.

📜 Citation

@dataset{ghana_english_asr,
  author    = {Owusu, Mich-Seth},
  title     = {Ghana English ASR Dataset},
  year      = {2026},
  publisher = {Hugging Face},
  url       = {https://huggingface.co/datasets/ghananlpcommunity/ghana-english-asr-2700hrs}
}

🙏 Acknowledgments

Created by Mich-Seth Owusu for the Ghana NLP Community.

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