The World Bank Group has reaffirmed its commitment to supporting Ghana’s economic recovery, job creation, and long-term development following a three-day official visit by Managing Director and Chief Knowledge Officer Paschal Donohoe. The mission, Mr. Donohoe’s first to Africa since his appointment in November 2025, took place from March 15 to 18 and included engagements with government officials, private sector leaders, civil society, and academia.
During high-level discussions, Mr. Donohoe commended the government’s progress in stabilizing the economy and restoring fiscal discipline, describing improvements in Ghana’s national finances as “remarkable.” Finance Minister Dr. Cassiel Ato Forson acknowledged these gains but highlighted youth unemployment as a pressing challenge, noting that public sector employment alone cannot absorb the rapidly growing youth population.
In response, the World Bank confirmed plans to undertake a Jobs and Growth Analysis to identify priority sectors for employment expansion and guide future policy and investment decisions. “The data is clear on what works. The question is not what to do, but whether there is the political will and institutional capacity to do it on a scale,” Mr. Donohoe said, citing the 1.34 million young Ghanaians aged 15 to 24 who are not in employment, education, or training.
Historic Investment in Education
A major highlight of the visit was the announcement of a US$300 million commitment to Ghana’s secondary education sector under the Secondary Education Transformation for Access, Relevance and Results for Jobs (STARR-J) programme, the largest single allocation in the country’s history.
The programme, unveiled during a visit to the Armed Forces Senior High Technical School in Accra with Education Minister Haruna Iddrisu, will support the rehabilitation and expansion of senior high schools and technical and vocational education and training (TVET) institutions. The initiative will focus on practical, job-relevant skills, aiming to shift TVET instruction from 90% theory to 70% practical training.
Mr. Donohoe described STARR-J as a continuation of the Ghana Accountability for Learning Outcomes Project (GALOP), which has trained over 70,000 teachers and directly benefited more than 3.1 million students.
Skills and Industry Alignment
At the University of Ghana, Mr. Donohoe called for stronger collaboration between educational institutions and industry to address persistent skills mismatches. He stressed that the skills gap represents a structural coordination failure and urged employers to actively shape curricula and training systems to better match market needs.
Clean Energy and Industrial Growth
The delegation also visited LMI Holdings’ 16.82 MW rooftop solar installation at the Tema Free Zones enclave, Africa’s largest and the world’s third-largest of its kind, co-financed by the IFC. Mr. Donohoe encouraged deeper collaboration between government and private investors to expand clean energy capacity, improve energy security, and support industrial growth. LMI Holdings Chairman Kojo Aduhene called for regulatory reforms to remove barriers limiting private solar investment, specifically citing gaps in power wheeling rules and standardized power purchase agreements.
Private Sector as Engine of Growth
Discussions with private sector leaders focused on unlocking constraints to business growth, enhancing productivity, and scaling job creation, especially for youth and women entrepreneurs, who own approximately 44% of Ghana’s micro, small, and medium enterprises. The World Bank emphasized that private sector-led development remains central to Ghana’s long-term growth and employment creation.
Mr. Donohoe concluded the visit by reaffirming the Bank’s integrated approach to supporting Ghana, linking macroeconomic stability, human capital development, private sector growth, and clean energy investment into a coherent partnership. “The priority now is to work together to implement reforms at scale and ensure that growth translates into real opportunities for all Ghanaians,” he said.
