Ghana’s government has been left scrambling to find alternative funding sources after the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) withdrew approximately $156 million in funding. The withdrawal, part of a broader realignment of Washington’s foreign policy priorities, affects key sectors such as healthcare and agriculture.
President John Dramani Mahama has directed Finance Minister Cassiel Ato Forson to urgently address the funding gap, which represents a significant shortfall in Ghana’s budget for 2025. The affected sectors include:
– Healthcare: The withdrawal threatens essential programs in malaria prevention, maternal and child health, family planning, reproductive health, nutrition, and the fight against HIV/AIDS. USAID had supported the creation of a national surveillance system for HIV and sexually transmitted diseases.
– Agriculture: Ghana’s farmers, who rely on USAID’s support for better farming techniques, food supply chains, and overall food security, may face greater hardships, potentially worsening poverty in rural communities. USAID had also supported programs to enhance the competitiveness of Ghanaian agricultural firms in regional and global markets.
The Ghanaian government is exploring alternative funding mechanisms and reallocating resources to prevent disruptions in these vital programs. President Mahama emphasized the need to protect the gains made in these critical sectors and ensure continuity in service delivery.
This move is part of a larger trend of reduced US foreign aid to African countries, sparking concerns about economic stability, healthcare access, and food security. Other countries affected by the USAID freeze include Kenya, South Sudan, Ethiopia, and Mozambique, which are struggling to compensate for the loss of development and humanitarian aid.