Publication:
Transforming Ghana in a Generation: 2025 Policy Notes

Loading...
Thumbnail Image
Files in English
Main Report (31.57 MB)
137 downloads
Main Report Text (464.43 KB)
67 downloads
Overview (1.44 MB)
333 downloads
Published
2025-09-22
ISSN
Date
2025-09-25
Author(s)
Editor(s)
Abstract
The 2024 elections arrived at a pivotal moment for Ghana. While the country witnessed substantial progress in economic growth, poverty reduction, and human development in the first decade of the twenty-first century, the following decade saw a decline in economic prospects and a stagnation in poverty alleviation, culminating in the 2022 macroeconomic crisis. The growing dependency on natural resources and the limited structural transformation brought only marginal productivity gains, with most new jobs emerging in low-productivity sectors such as informal services, mining, and agriculture. The next four years offer a unique opportunity to break from past practices and strengthen the social contract. Seizing this opportunity with an urgent reset. With a strong popular mandate and a significant parliamentary majority, the new government is uniquely positioned to lay the foundations to foster broader-based economic growth and structural transformation. Enforcing the rule of law and combating corruption are paramount for the success of the growth strategy, as both macroeconomic crises and the lack of inclusive and diversified growth in Ghana have been symptoms of governance and institutional weaknesses. These weaknesses have eroded the social contract between citizens and the state. Success will ultimately be measured by the ability of the government to regain the trust of its citizens.
Link to Data Set
Citation
World Bank. 2025. Transforming Ghana in a Generation: 2025 Policy Notes. © World Bank. http://hdl.handle.net/10986/43771 License: CC BY-NC 3.0 IGO.
Associated URLs
Associated content
Report Series
Other publications in this report series
Journal
Journal Volume
Journal Issue
Collections

Related items

Showing items related by metadata.

  • Publication
    "Revenue Management" Effects Related to Financial Flows Generated by Climate Policy
    (World Bank, Washington, DC, 2009-09) Strand, Jon
    This paper discusses possible macroeconomic implications for low-income countries of increased revenue inflows that may follow from implementing certain global greenhouse gas mitigation policies. Such revenue sources include revenue from emissions offset mechanisms, direct investments, and financial transfers that form parts of possible future mitigation treaties. In the short run such revenue will come mainly from offset markets and donor-sponsored programs, with some additional financial inflows due to foreign direct investments. In the longer run, comprehensive global cap-and-trade or carbon tax schemes could provide a potentially much larger revenue flow to many low-income countries. The author argues that the macroeconomic implications of such flows are manageable in the short run, but the larger revenues resulting from global emissions schemes could overwhelm this capacity and lead to a number of potential macroeconomic management problems.
  • Publication
    The Republic of Armenia Climate Change and Agriculture Country Note
    (Washington, DC, 2012-06) World Bank
    This country note for Armenia is part of a series of country briefs that summarize information relevant to climate change and agriculture for three pilot countries in the Southern Caucasus Region, with a particular focus on climate and crop projections, adaptation options, policy development and institutional involvement. The note series has been developed to provide a baseline of knowledge on climate change and agriculture for the countries participating in the regional program on reducing vulnerability to climate change in Southern Caucasus Agricultural systems. This note for Armenia was shared with the government and other agricultural sector stakeholders and used as an engagement tool for a national awareness raising and consultation workshop, held in Yerevan in April 2012. Feedback and comments on the note from this consultation process have been incorporated into this updated version in collaboration with the Armenian Ministry of Agriculture.
  • Publication
    A Note on the Economic Cost of Climate Change and the Rationale to Limit it Below 2°C
    (World Bank, Washington, DC, 2010-01) Dumas, Patrice; Hallegatte, Stephane; Hourcade, Jean-Charles
    This note highlights a major reason to limit climate change to the lowest possible levels. This reason follows from the large increase in uncertainty associated with high levels of warming. This uncertainty arises from three sources: the change in climate itself, the change s impacts at the sector level, and their macroeconomic costs. First, the greater the difference between the future climate and the current one, the more difficult it is to predict how local climates will evolve, making it more difficult to anticipate adaptation actions. Second, the adaptive capacity of various economic sectors can already be observed for limited warming, but is largely unknown for larger changes. The larger the change in climate, therefore, the more uncertain is the final impact on economic sectors. Third, economic systems can efficiently cope with sectoral losses, but macroeconomic-level adaptive capacity is difficult to assess, especially when it involves more than marginal economic changes and when structural economic shifts are required. In particular, these shifts are difficult to model and involve thresholds beyond which the total macroeconomic cost would rise rapidly. The existence of such thresholds is supported by past experiences, including economic disruptions caused by natural disasters, observed difficulties funding needed infrastructure, and regional crises due to rapid economic shifts induced by new technologies or globalization. As a consequence, larger warming is associated with higher cost, but also with larger uncertainty about the cost. Because this uncertainty translates into risks and makes it more difficult to implement adaptation strategies, it represents an additional motive to mitigate climate change.
  • Publication
    2011 Philippines Development Report : Generating Inclusive Growth to Uplift the Poor
    (World Bank, 2011-02-01) World Bank
    The theme of the 2011 Philippines development report is 'generating inclusive growth, uplifting the poor and vulnerable'. This theme is follows from the priorities set in President Aquino's Social Contract and the emerging 2011-2016 Philippines Development Plan (PDP). The PDP details the vision of inclusive growth and poverty reduction that underlies the social contract (chapter one). Accordingly, the PDP focuses on three strategic objectives: (1) attaining a sustained and high rate of economic growth that provides productive employment opportunities, (2) equalizing access to development opportunities for all Filipinos, and (3) implementing effective social safety nets to protect and enable those who do not have the capability to participate in the economic growth process. While the country's development agenda remains broadly the same over the last decade, the Aquino government is focusing on stepped-up implementation and delivery. The pressing development issues confronting the Philippines in 2011 are not radically different from those of previous years. The critical difference is the new government's focus on effective implementation and delivery of public goods and services, starting with a firm approach to fighting corruption and improving governance.
  • Publication
    Environmental Crisis or Sustainable Development Opportunity? Transforming the Charcoal Sector in Tanzania : A Policy Note
    (Washington, DC, 2009-03) World Bank
    The policy note builds on experience from both Tanzania and other Sub-Saharan African countries with similar socioeconomic and environmental contexts. This policy note puts forward and discusses a range of policy measures along the entire charcoal value chain in Tanzania. The development of this policy note benefited from a variety of recent studies on charcoal utilization and trade conducted in the country. This policy note is structured as follows: chapter two provides a broad overview of the charcoal sector in Tanzania and some of the key challenges being faced. It also includes a summary of the key legal and policy measures that have been taken over the past two decades and an assessment of how successful they have been in effecting positive change. Following this, chapter three summarizes experiences reforming the charcoal sector in Tanzania and elsewhere, as well as an assessment of how successful these measures have been. Where possible, key lessons learned are extracted and used to inform policy recommendations. In chapter four, key policy recommendations are made along the production and marketing chains, which are hoped, will provide a useful resource for policy makers and implementers. Chapter five assesses the likely impact of the reforms on reducing deforestation and forest degradation, as well as the positive impacts on boosting employment and improving rural livelihoods. The chapter concludes with an assessment of the costs of the policy recommendations made.

Users also downloaded

Showing related downloaded files

  • Publication
    Togo Economic Update, August 2025: Boosting Growth and Restoring Fiscal Space in Uncertain Times
    (Washington, DC: World Bank, 2025-08-28) World Bank
    Togo’s economic trajectory in recent years has been shaped by both resilient performance and emerging vulnerabilities. The 2025 Economic Update underscores the urgency of restoring fiscal space and implementing strategic structural reforms to sustain private sector-led growth and job creation. Through an integrated analysis in two chapters, the report presents a nuanced narrative of the country’s macroeconomic outlook and delineates actionable policy paths to foster inclusive, sustainable development.
  • Publication
    Global Economic Prospects, January 2025
    (Washington, DC: World Bank, 2025-01-16) World Bank
    Global growth is expected to hold steady at 2.7 percent in 2025-26. However, the global economy appears to be settling at a low growth rate that will be insufficient to foster sustained economic development—with the possibility of further headwinds from heightened policy uncertainty and adverse trade policy shifts, geopolitical tensions, persistent inflation, and climate-related natural disasters. Against this backdrop, emerging market and developing economies are set to enter the second quarter of the twenty-first century with per capita incomes on a trajectory that implies substantially slower catch-up toward advanced-economy living standards than they previously experienced. Without course corrections, most low-income countries are unlikely to graduate to middle-income status by the middle of the century. Policy action at both global and national levels is needed to foster a more favorable external environment, enhance macroeconomic stability, reduce structural constraints, address the effects of climate change, and thus accelerate long-term growth and development.
  • Publication
    Uganda Country Climate and Development Report
    (Washington, DC: World Bank, 2025-09-10) World Bank Group
    The Country Climate and Development Report (CCDR) for Uganda examines the interplay between climate change and development. It presents how addressing climate change can support achieving the goals in Uganda’s Vision 2040 and Ten-Fold Growth Strategy, and help propel the country to upper-middle-income status. Uganda is the 14th most vulnerable nation to climate change, yet it is 163rd in readiness to address these risks, facing threats such as droughts and floods. The report highlights that, of the poorest households exposed to climate change, 80 percent already experience income loss from climate shocks. GDP could also drop by up to 3.1 percent by 2050 without additional climate action. Climate change poses numerous challenges, including increased variability in crop yields, potential internal climate migration of 12 million people by 2050, notable drop in labor productivity due to heat stress, increased health risks from waterborne diseases and malaria, and exposure of the country’s physical infrastructure to extreme climate events. To combat these challenges, the report recommends transitioning to a low-carbon, climate-resilient growth path by implementing four multisectoral intervention packages. These include boosting resilience through jobs for youth and services for the poor; promoting resilient and productive agriculture and natural resources with lower GHG emissions; developing climate-responsive energy, transport, and digital infrastructure; and fostering planned and climate-positive urbanization. Additionally, the report calls for whole-of-economy measures that strengthen governance of climate action, enhance preparedness for climate hazards including through improved early warning systems, operationalization of the national climate finance strategy, and incentivizing private sector participation. By implementing these intervention packages and whole-of-economy measures, Uganda can lower its risk to climate change and achieve sustainable economic growth.
  • Publication
    Commodity Markets Outlook, April 2025
    (Washington, DC: World Bank, 2025-04-29) World Bank
    Commodity prices are set to fall sharply this year, by about 12 percent overall, as weakening global economic growth weighs on demand. In 2026, commodity prices are projected to reach a six-year low. Oil prices are expected to exert substantial downward pressure on the aggregate commodity index in 2025, as a marked slowdown in global oil consumption coincides with expanding supply. The anticipated commodity price softening is broad-based, however, with more than half of the commodities in the forecast set to decrease this year, many by more than 10 percent. The latest shocks to hit commodity markets extend a so far tumultuous decade, marked by the highest level of commodity price volatility in at least half a century. Between 2020 and 2024, commodity price swings were frequent and sharp, with knock-on consequences for economic activity and inflation. In the next two years, commodity prices are expected to put downward pressure on global inflation. Risks to the commodity price projections are tilted to the downside. A sharper-than-expected slowdown in global growth—driven by worsening trade relations or a prolonged tightening of financial conditions—could further depress commodity demand, especially for industrial products. In addition, if OPEC+ fully unwinds its voluntary supply cuts, oil production will far exceed projected consumption. There are also important upside risks to commodity prices—for instance, if geopolitical tensions worsen, threatening oil and gas supplies, or if extreme weather events lead to agricultural and energy price spikes.
  • Publication
    Sahel Irrigation Strategy
    (Washington, DC: World Bank, 2025-09-05) World Bank
    The Sahel Irrigation Strategy aims to guide participating countries to scale up irrigation expansion and modernization rapidly and responsibly with a more diverse suite of interventions to optimize the use of their natural and financial resources. It provides a comprehensive roadmap to unlock the full potential of sustainable irrigation as a driver of agricultural productivity, food security, and resilience across the Sahel. Its primary objectives include taking stock of the progress achieved over the past decade, identifying emerging trends and challenges, and moving beyond problem identification to actionable solutions rooted in lessons learned. The strategy establishes updated and shared goals for irrigated agriculture tailored to short-term (2035), medium-term (2045), and long-term (2055) horizons. These targets are accompanied by a clear framework for intervention, designed to foster collective commitment and coordinated efforts among the six Sahelian countries.