December 30, 2014

Ghana: A Review of the 2015 Budget [Occasional Paper 01]

Occassional Paper 1. Ghana: A Review of the 2015 Budget Ghana is currently facing serious economic crisis. The country is experiencing a rapidly declining economic growth, double-digit deficits for two years running, current account deficits also in double digits, and a public debt stock which is almost above the sustainable threshold. The domestic currency witnessed a rapid depreciation in the first three-quarters of 2014 amid dwindling foreign reserves and inflation which has crawled back to double digits since January 2013. Click here to read full report
February 13, 2015

No.1: The Falling Crude Oil Prices: Mitigating the Risk

Policy Brief 1: The Falling Crude Oil Prices: Mitigating the Risk Crude oil prices have been falling sharply on the international petroleum market since July 2014. For Ghana, this poses a serious threat in the sense that, this phenomenon could lead to significant reduction in oil revenue which could worsen the projected fiscal deficit in 2015 and in the medium term. This development will naturally have serious negative implications for macroeconomic stability and economic growth in the country. Click here to read full report
May 15, 2015

Ghana’s 2015-17 IMF Program [Occasional Paper 02]

Occasional Paper 2. Ghana’s 2015-17 IMF Program Ghana’s medium-term development prospects have been put at risk after two decades of strong and broadly inclusive growth, due to large fiscal and external imbalances in recent years which have led to a slowdown of economic growth. To address these imbalances and safeguard the bright medium term prospects of the economy, the government embarked on its homegrown economic and financial program, but policy slippages, exogenous shocks, rising interest costs, and acute power shortages undermined the effort. Click here to read full report
June 1, 2015

Ghana Debt & Debt Sustainability May 2015 [Occasional Paper 03]

Occasional Paper 3. Ghana Debt & Debt Sustainability May 2015 Ghana’s public debt situation has worsened in recent years and the country now faces a high risk of debt distress and increased overall debt vulnerability. Total public debt service-to-revenue ratio (including payments on external and domestic debt) has not only assumed a rapidly increasing path but has breached its indicative long term threshold. Click here to read full report
July 31, 2015

Ghana – The 2015 Mid-Year Budget Review

Fiscal Alert 1: Ghana – The 2015 Mid-Year Budget Review On July 12, 2015, the government tabled in Parliament for discussion and approval a mid-year review of the 2015 Budget and supplementary estimates for the 2015 financial year. Prior to that, on June 30, 2015, the IMF had issued its first review press statement on Ghana’s Extended Credit Facility (ECF) program. This brief reviews the mid-year budget and assesses the basis for the government’s revision of the 2015 Budget. Click here to read the full report
July 31, 2015

Ghana: The 2015 Mid-Year Budget Review [Occasional Paper 04]

Occasional Paper 4. Ghana: The 2015 Mid-Year Budget Review On July 12, 2015 the Minister for Finance presented to Parliament a mid-year review of the 2015 budget, the performance of the economy during 2014 and the Supplementary Estimates. The presentation revealed that, Ghana’s fiscal performance showed a significant improvement during the first five months of 2015, with the fiscal deficit being less than the target for the period driven by improved revenue mobilization and expenditure containment. Click here to read full report