
Afrobarometer, a Pan-African civil society group, is holding the inaugural Data for Governance Alliance D4GA continental convening in Accra, Ghana. The event, running from April 20 to April 24, 2026, focuses on "Reflecting on the journey: D4GA’s impact and learning from 2021–2025." Civil society organizations from across Africa are attending to review progress in capacity building, data analysis, data usage in advocacy, and data communication. The convening also aims to assess the effectiveness of collaborations with policy actors and African Union organs, and to strengthen commitments towards the vision of Agenda 2063 of the African Union. Prof E Gyimah-Boadi, a senior adviser at Afrobarometer, emphasized the D4GA's importance for African development, especially amidst democratic backsliding and authoritarian resurgence. He stated that strengthening civil society and the D4GA is an investment in the future of African democratic governance. The D4GA was created to address critical gaps: limited citizen awareness of Agenda 2063, insufficient access to citizen-generated data for CSOs, and challenges in tracking the implementation of African governance platforms' commitments. Ambassador Salah Hammad, head of the African Governance Architecture AGA Secretariat, commended the initiative but highlighted a challenge: while data collection is successful, policymakers and citizens often do not utilize it for decision-making. He urged the D4GA to make data easily accessible and digesti
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This summary was AI-generated from a story originally published by GhanaWeb.
Must ReadGhana's Finance Minister, Dr. Cassiel Ato Forson, announced that approximately 950,000 Ghanaians were lifted out of multidimensional poverty within a year. Presenting the 2026 Mid-Year Fiscal Policy Review in Parliament, Dr. Forson stated that multidimensional poverty decreased from 24.9 percent in the third quarter of 2024 to 21.9 percent in the same period of 2025. This indicates improved living conditions and increased hope for many families. Additionally, the Finance Minister reported a decline in unemployment, from 13.7 percent in the first three quarters of 2024 to 12.8 percent during the corresponding period in 2025.

Finance Minister Dr. Cassiel Ato Forson announced that the government is reallocating GH¢400 million to acquire high-occupancy buses. This initiative aims to improve public transportation and ease commuting challenges across Ghana. The investment, detailed during the 2026 Mid-Year Budget Review in Parliament, is part of the government's commitment to enhancing urban mobility by providing safe, reliable, and affordable public transport services. The funds will be used to strengthen the fleets of state-owned transport operators, including Metro Mass Transit and the State Transport Company STC. This intervention is expected to increase public transport capacity, especially on busy urban and intercity routes, reduce long queues during peak periods, and offer a more reliable and efficient alternative to private vehicle use for commuters.

Ghana's Finance Minister, Dr. Cassiel Ato Forson, announced that the country has gained credibility in international financial markets due to its timely debt repayments. During the 2026 Mid-Year Budget Review in Parliament on Thursday, July 23, Dr. Forson stated that the government's commitment to making scheduled payments to bondholders has boosted its global standing. He emphasized that consistent, on-time payments are rebuilding investor confidence in Ghana's economy after a period of financial distress. Since January 2025, the government has paid US$2.1 billion in principal and interest to Eurobond holders without straining foreign exchange reserves. This renewed confidence has led to improved market conditions, with Ghana's borrowing costs decreasing and Eurobond yields declining by approximately 300 basis points this year. Dr. Forson attributed these improvements to the financial markets' recognition of the government's fiscal discipline and prudent debt management, indicating that Ghana is regaining the trust of both international and domestic investors through consistent actions. The budget review provides an update on the economy, government revenue and expenditure, debt servicing, and the fiscal outlook for the remainder of 2026.