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Ghanaians must insist on value for money on all development projects across the country in order to achieve Ghana’s overall development agenda, the World Bank Office in Accra has urged.

Country Director for the Bank in Ghana, Mr Henry Kerali stressed the importance of monitoring and feedback from Ghanaians on development projects funded by the bank in over the past 60 years of its activities in Ghana.
“To make a difference and transform Ghana together, we must make sure that there is value for money, and that the value of the development support is carefully safeguarded,” he charged.

The Bank, he indicated had supported projects in different sectors, which were critical to the overall development agenda.

Close to US$9 billion has since 1957 been disbursed to Ghana by the Bank to fund over 178 projects.

“The most important thing is that citizens all around Ghana, in communities, through media, in political circles need to monitor and provide feedback on what is being done to help address the development challenges of the country,” Mr Kerali stated.

The World Bank boss encouraged Ghanaians to engage with the institution and government “to demand better solutions in everything that we do to get the best value for money,” adding “it is also important to ensure that women, the youth and vulnerable people are always part of the development process. If that happens, nothing can stop Ghana from achieving its development goals.”


The Bank has in the recent past bemoaned the high completion cost of projects in Ghana, saying efficiency was a major problem that had to be dealt with.

According to Senior Operations Manager at the World Bank, Dr Beatrix Allah-Mensah, delays in implementation, safeguards issues, variation orders and other challenges often doubled or tripled the cost of projects.

She observed in April this year that seven out of the 20 projects that were implemented in 2016 could be described as “problem and potential problem” projects because they had dire implementation challenges.

The World Bank identified delays in the payment of compensation to landowners at project sites and the bureaucratic approval processes by Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) with oversight responsibility for projects as some of the major setbacks to quicker disbursement of committed funds and the successful execution of projects.
Auditor General’s reports flag delayed/unexecuted/poorly executed projects
The 2016 Auditor General’s report on the management and utilization of the District Assemblies common Fund (DACF) and other statutory funds revealed that 19 Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies (MMDAs) had abandoned and in some cases delayed projects to the tune of GH¢9.2milion.

Ashanti Region – GH¢1.97m sunk into 11 projects and abandoned
Six projects valued at GH¢1,052,991.98 abandoned by two Assemblies for periods ranging between four and 12 months after GH¢608,684.95 had been paid. Four Assemblies delayed the completion of five projects totaling GH¢1,362,788.03.


Brong Ahafo Region- 17 projects costing GH¢1.87m abandoned
Four Assemblies expended a total amount of GH¢1,871,451.60 on 17 projects awarded within 2011 to February 2016. The projects at various levels of completion had been abandoned and new projects awarded.

Eastern Region- GH¢2.3m spent on 24projects
District Assemblies spent a total of GH¢2,257,293.40 on 24 projects yet to be completed. Projects have delayed for periods ranging from three to nine years beyond the completion date. The projects comprised one Kindergarten block, three 6-Unit classroom blocks, Bungalow’s for staff and 16-unit w/c toilets.

Upper East Region - 8 projects at GH¢2m unduly delayed
As of December 31, 2016 eight projects had been unduly delayed beyond the completion dates for periods ranging between 9 and 67 months.

Upper West Region- 4 projects costing GH¢360,759.90 abandoned
Four projects on which three district assemblies had spent a total of GH¢360,759.90 out of a total contract sum of GH¢1,027,381.21 had been abandoned for periods ranging between six months to four years whilst new projects were embarked on.

Volta Region – 62projects abandoned after GH¢5.58m was invested
Five District Assemblies abandoned sixty-two community based projects at various stages of completion and in which a total amount GH¢5,581,616.09 had been invested.


Western Region – 7 abandoned projects- GH¢479,512.26, 9 delayed projects at GH¢1.39m
Two assemblies had abandoned seven projects with a contract sum of GH¢690,241.14 and scheduled for completion in 2011 and 2013. The Assemblies had so far spent a total amount of GH¢479,512.26 on the projects.

Nine projects awarded by same Assemblies on which an amount of GH¢1,387,065.97 had been spent were ongoing two to ten months after their scheduled completion dates.

The Auditor General, Mr Daniel Yaw Domelevo in the report lamented that delays in project execution lead to upward revision of contract prices due to rise in material costs.

He stated that “to ensure value for money and also ensure that earmarked communities benefited from projects, I once again urged management of the Assemblies to immediately address issues of delayed and abandoned projects.”