The World Bank has downgraded the performance of Ghana’s Energy Sector Recovery Programme from ‘Moderately Satisfactory’ to ‘Unsatisfactory’, citing setbacks resulting from the country’s political transition.
According to the World Bank, the Original Development Objective (approved on June 12, 2024) of the programme is to improve the financial viability of the country’s electricity distribution sector and increase access to clean cooking solutions.
However, the World Bank’s latest Implementation Status and Results Report (ISR), published on June 30, 2026, stated that the programme’s progress towards achieving its Project Development Objective (PDO) and its Implementation Progress (IP) had both been revised downward, while the overall risk rating remained ‘Substantial’.
“The Programme became effective on March 18, 2025. Programme implementation timelines were affected by national elections and the transition to the new administration. The achievement of key programme disbursement-linked results was delayed due to the formulation of new procurement directives and disbursement caps,” the report stated.
Despite the downgrade, the report noted that implementation could improve if coordination among government institutions is strengthened.
“It is expected that, with better coordination among implementing agencies and the Government on approval processes, the programme’s delivery will be accelerated to achieve its intended outcomes,” the report added.
By Ebenezer K. Amponsah