Ghana: USAID Commits U.S.$60 Million to SADA

21 June 2011

The Office of the Vice President has, in statement, clarified that the commitment of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) to the Savanna Accelerated Development Authority (SADA) amounts to $60 million, and would focus on the development of commercial agriculture in the SADA regions.

A statement signed by John Abdulai Jinapor explained that the USAID and World Bank confirmed a total of $100 million in commitments to financing agricultural expansion during a meeting with Vice President John Mahama. Forty million ($40 million) of the amount would be dedicated to the Accra Plains Irrigation Project.

While apologising for the mix-up in the figures, Mr. Jinapor noted that the government expects the support for the agriculture sector, especially, in the SADA regions, to help boost the planned focus on agribusiness in the area.

The Vice President noted during the meeting that the success of the government’s SADA initiative could see a reversal of the current rural-urban migration in favour of the northern regions of Ghana.

In a meeting with the Administrator of USAID, Dr. Rajiv Shah, in Washington DC, Veep Mahama explained that SADA was aimed at positioning the Savanna regions of Ghana as potential investment destinations, by improving on infrastructure and offering other incentives necessary for business growth.

On the financing of some major roads, described as the ‘gang of four’, the statement explained that the World Bank had agreed to the government’s plans to prioritise its infrastructural projects, and would be sending a team this week to discuss financing options for the Legon- Adenta, Achimota-Ofankor, Nsawam bypass-Apedwa and Kumasi Sofoline road projects.

The Vice President of the Africa Region of the World Bank, Oby Ezekwesili, expressed the willingness of the Bank to work with the Government of Ghana to raise the required amount of between $250 million and $350 million to complete the projects.

The statement explained that the $400 million mentioned in media reports was in reference to funds already committed to the Transport Sector Improvement Project.

Oby Ezekwesili requested the assistance of the Vice President to speed up disbursements under the project.

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