The World Bank has revealed that fiscal measures introduced by Ghana’s Ministry of Finance significantly delayed the implementation of the Greater Accra Resilient and Integrated Development (GARID) Project, one of the country’s flagship flood prevention programmes.
In its latest implementation update released in May 2026, the World Bank downgraded the project’s implementation performance to “Moderately Unsatisfactory,” citing persistent funding challenges even though the project remains fully financed.
The $350 million GARID Project is designed to strengthen flood risk management, improve solid waste management and enhance urban resilience across selected metropolitan and municipal assemblies within the Greater Accra Metropolitan Area. The programme covers five key components, including drainage infrastructure, flood risk reduction, urban upgrading, institutional coordination, project management and emergency response.
According to the World Bank, although engineering designs for most civil works have been completed, construction has progressed slowly because several contractors have fallen behind schedule while decisions on underperforming contracts remain pending.
The report states that fiscal controls introduced by the Ministry of Finance in 2025, including a ceiling on project disbursements and the temporary withdrawal of GH¢13.8 million from the project’s designated account, created severe cash flow problems. These measures delayed payments to contractors, left Interim Payment Certificates (IPCs) unpaid and slowed construction works.
The World Bank warned that the funding interruptions have exposed the project to additional risks, including rising construction costs, contractor claims, procurement delays, price adjustments and setbacks in resettlement activities.
Following discussions with the World Bank, the government processed a $10.5 million withdrawal in February 2026, marking the first project withdrawal since November 2023. The government also requested a restructuring of the project’s financing arrangements and returned the previously withdrawn GH¢13.8 million to the project account in March 2026. However, the Bank says these interventions have only partially addressed the project’s liquidity challenges.
The report further revealed that the Project Coordination Unit estimates funding needs of approximately $40.8 million for 2026, but the Ministry of Finance has allocated only about $17.5 million, leaving a significant financing shortfall. In addition, a request seeking authorisation for $79.8 million worth of civil works contracts remains pending approval.
As of April 14, 2026, only $137 million, representing about 40% of the project’s total financing, had been disbursed. The World Bank noted that virtually no disbursements were made for approximately 16 months, from November 2023 to March 2026, due to the fiscal controls, with funding only resuming in April 2026.
The findings come in the wake of the devastating floods that struck parts of Accra on June 29, claiming at least 12 lives and reigniting concerns over delays in the implementation of critical flood-control infrastructure. The World Bank warned that unless funding flows become predictable, further disruptions could jeopardise the successful completion of the GARID Project.
