The World Bank has refuted recent claims that it had suspended funding for two major projects in Ghana, worth a combined US$400 million, following the government’s dismissal of certain staff members.
Kennedy Fosu, External Affairs Officer for the World Bank in Ghana, swiftly addressed the matter on Thursday, clarifying that there were no suspensions of any World Bank-financed projects in Ghana at present. “No World Bank financed portfolio in Ghana is currently suspended,” Mr. Fosu told the Ghana News Agency.
The two projects in question—the US$200 million Tree Crops Diversification Project and the US$200 million Ghana Digital Acceleration Project (GDAP)—have been key initiatives aimed at fostering economic growth, enhancing digital infrastructure, and improving agricultural resilience in the country.
The Tree Crops Diversification Project, launched in November 2024, is a six-year initiative designed to enhance economic, climate, and social resilience within selected tree crop value chains. This project targets critical sectors such as cocoa, cashew, coconut, and rubber, aiming to increase their productivity and sustainability over the long term.
With a financing of US$200 million, the project is expected to benefit over 12,800 cocoa farmers and 39,975 cashew, coconut, and rubber cultivators, along with their households. Notably, about 40 percent of the beneficiaries are women, highlighting the project’s focus on gender inclusion. The initiative is also anticipated to generate approximately 20,000 jobs in downstream value addition, by facilitating private investments in post-harvest management, value addition, and market access.
On the digital front, the Ghana Digital Acceleration Project is a pivotal part of the country’s push to embrace full digitisation. Aimed at expanding broadband access, improving the efficiency of digital public services, and fostering the digital innovation ecosystem, this US$200 million project is scheduled to run from 2022 to 2028. It will play a significant role in strengthening Ghana’s digital infrastructure and creating an environment conducive to accelerated national digital transformation.
Despite earlier claims suggesting otherwise, both projects remain on track, and no funding has been halted. The clarification from the World Bank comes at a time when the country is focusing heavily on its digital and agricultural sectors, with these initiatives playing a central role in the government’s long-term development strategy.
The World Bank’s clarification should ease concerns over the continuity of these important projects, which are set to provide substantial economic and social benefits to thousands of Ghanaians, particularly in rural areas.
