The Finance Minister, Dr. Cassiel Ato Forson, has delivered the 2025 budget on behalf of President John Dramani Mahama, marking the maiden budget of the new administration.
The theme for this budget is “Resetting the Economy for the Ghana We Want.”
Key Allocations to Policy Initiatives
The government has outlined several key allocations in the budget to address various policy initiatives and interventions:
Ghana Gold Board (GOLDBOD): The government will provide a cedi equivalent of US$279 million as a revolving fund to purchase and export at least 3 tonnes of gold per week from small-scale miners.
Big Push Programme: An allocation of GH¢13.85 billion has been made for this initiative.
No-Academic-Fee Policy: GH¢499.8 million has been allocated for the No-Academic-Fee policy for all first-year students in public tertiary institutions under the ‘No-Fees-Stress’ initiative.
Sanitary Pads Distribution: GH¢292.4 million has been allocated to commence the distribution of free sanitary pads to female students in primary and secondary schools.
Akosombo Dam Spillage Support: GH¢242.5 million has been allocated to support victims of the Akosombo dam spillage.
Tidal Wave Disaster Support: GH¢200 million has been allocated to support victims of the tidal wave disaster that recently displaced residents of Agavedzi and surrounding communities in the Ketu South constituency.
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Education and Healthcare Initiatives
Free Secondary Education: The government has resolved the funding challenge by uncapping the GETFund, making dedicated funds available for the full financing of free secondary education and free tertiary education for Persons with Disabilities (PWDs).
The budget for the free secondary education program is GH¢3.5 billion, with an additional GH¢4.1 billion made available through uncapping the GETFund.
Textbook Provision: An amount of GH¢564.6 million has been allocated for comprehensive provision of free curricula-based textbooks covering various levels of education.
School Feeding Programme: The budgetary provision has been increased from GH¢1.344 billion to GH¢1.788 billion in 2025, representing a 33% increase.
Capitation Grant: The allocation has been increased from GH¢84 million in 2024 to GH¢145.5 million in 2025, an increase of 73.2%.
Teacher and Nursing Trainee Allowances: GH¢203 million has been allocated for Teacher Trainee allowances, and another GH¢480 million for Nursing Trainee allowances.
National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS): An amount of GH¢9.93 billion has been programmed for various aspects of the NHIS, including claim payments, essential medicines, and vaccines.
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Social Protection Programs
LEAP Programme: Benefits have been indexed to inflation, and the number of beneficiary households will increase from 350,000 to 400,000 from July 2025. The allocation for LEAP benefits has also been increased by 30.8% to GH¢953.5 million.
Road Fund: An amount of GH¢2.81 billion has been programmed for the Ghana Road Fund to be used solely for road maintenance, representing an increase of 155.5% over the 2024 allocation.
District Assembly Common Fund (DACF): An amount of GH¢7.51 billion has been allocated, with a proposal to Parliament that a minimum of 80% of the funds be sent directly to the District Assemblies.
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Additional Allocations
Agriculture for Economic Transformation Agenda (AETA): GH¢1.5 billion has been allocated for this initiative, which includes the Feed Ghana Programme, Ghana Grains Development Project, and Vegetable Development Project.
Women’s Development Bank: GH¢51.3 million has been allocated as seed funding for the establishment of this bank.
National Apprenticeship Programme: GH¢300 million has been allocated.
Adwumawura Programme: GH¢100 million has been allocated.
National Coders Programme: GH¢100 million has been allocated.
Assembly Members Allowance: GH¢100 million has been allocated for the payment of monthly allowances to all Assembly Members.
Tidal Waves Disaster Response: The government has allocated resources to the Ministry of Works and Housing to address the recent tidal waves disaster in the Ketu South constituency.
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According to the Minister, this budget aims to address key issues, support various sectors, and drive the development of Ghana.
