President John Dramani Mahama has said Ghana’s ongoing programme with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) will be the final bailout the country undertakes, as his government seeks to build an economy resilient enough to stand without external financial support.
Addressing the Annual New Year School and Conference in Accra on Tuesday, 6 January 2026, the President said Ghana is expected to exit the IMF’s Extended Credit Facility by mid-year and would not return to the Fund for assistance in the future.
Mr Mahama described the IMF programme as largely successful but said the country must now consolidate the gains made by strengthening domestic revenue mobilisation, restoring fiscal discipline and rebuilding confidence in the financial sector. He argued that economic resilience could not be achieved through austerity alone, but through production, inclusion and shared prosperity.
“We must move beyond stabilisation to growth that creates jobs and opportunities for all,” he said.
On infrastructure, the President announced that construction of the Accra–Kumasi Expressway would begin this year, describing it as unacceptable that Ghana’s two largest cities remain connected by what he characterised as an overstretched single-lane route. He cited the severe traffic congestion experienced during the Christmas and New Year period as evidence of the urgency of the project.
Mr Mahama also unveiled plans for a Green Digital City spanning parts of the Greater Accra, Eastern and Volta regions. He said the proposed development would accommodate some government offices and institutions to help decongest Accra, stressing that it would complement, not replace, the capital as a modern, technology-driven urban hub.
Turning to human capital development, the President said education, skills training, health and innovation would remain central to his administration’s growth agenda. He reaffirmed support for the Digital Youth Village and the Centre for Digital Youth Development at the University of Ghana, announcing additional funding to expand the initiative and establish 16 digital hubs of excellence across the country.
On governance, Mr Mahama said his government was strengthening anti-corruption institutions and promoting accountability, transparency and national discipline. He disclosed plans to establish an independent Value for Money Office this year to ensure more efficient use of public resources.
He also confirmed that the ban on ministers and public officials travelling first class remains in force, warning that any official who violates the directive would face sanctions.
The President concluded by saying that sustainable development requires responsible leadership and active citizen participation, adding that his administration is determined to build a strong, inclusive economy that no longer depends on IMF bailouts.
