Ghanaian President John Dramani Mahama has ordered urgent action to address a $156 million budget shortfall following the abrupt suspension of funding from the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), the presidency announced Tuesday.
The funding freeze threatens critical health and social programs, particularly malaria prevention, maternal and child healthcare, reproductive health, and HIV/AIDS treatment. The most immediate concern is a projected $78.2 million deficit in these essential services.
In response, President Mahama directed Finance Minister Cassiel Ato Forson to implement emergency measures to secure alternative funding and prevent service disruptions. “The president is deeply committed to protecting the gains made in these critical sectors and has directed that urgent steps be taken to address the funding gap,” the statement read.
The crisis follows a major shakeup in Washington, where newly appointed Secretary of State Marco Rubio launched a review of USAID’s foreign assistance programs. U.S. entrepreneur Elon Musk, head of the Trump administration’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), has advocated for dismantling USAID, calling it a “criminal organization” that “needs to die.”
With USAID employees worldwide placed on administrative leave, Ghana’s government is now racing to ensure uninterrupted public health services amid the uncertainty.
