It’s been 162 days since the World Bank acknowledged a serious allegation about the Development Bank Ghana (DBG). On November 19, 2024, the Bank issued a public statement noting that it was engaging key stakeholders for clarity. Since then, there has been silence, no official updates, no final findings, and no public reassurance for Ghanaians who, through taxes and trust, helped build the very institutions now under scrutiny.
Earlier this April, the World Bank hosted its Spring Meetings in Washington, D.C., where global economic challenges were discussed, and top officials engaged African stakeholders behind closed doors. But was Ghana’s DBG issue on the table? And if so, why wasn’t the Ghanaian public briefed?
Read here: There’s a plot to “loot” Ghana’s top development bank, say insiders – THE SCARAB
The disconnect is striking. While the Bank reaffirmed its commitment to transparency and accountability on global stages, it has left behind a question mark on one of Ghana’s most pressing financial integrity issues. Has the matter been resolved behind the scenes and not communicated to the public? Or is it still under review? Either way, the absence of clarity raises concerns.
The credibility of Development Bank Ghana was meant to be a litmus test of not just financial innovation but also independence and political insulation. Yet the prolonged silence breeds doubt.
Read also: https://brightsimons.com/2024/11/dbg-ghanas-top-development-bank-goes-for-the-jugular/
Where is the public record if the World Bank has completed its review? Those findings must be shared openly if meetings have been held and conclusions drawn. You can’t speak of accountability in global forums and remain quiet at the local level where it matters most.
For The High Street Journal, this has never been about blame, it’s about consistency. Our original piece asked what had been done since the Bank’s own public statement. We remain committed to that question. If Ghana is serious about transparent governance, then the international actors working with our institutions must be held to the same standard.
Accountability doesn’t expire. Silence isn’t neutrality. It raises questions. And 162 days later, we echo the same call: if the World Bank has spoken behind closed doors, it’s time to say it out loud.
