Eric Opoku, the Food and Agriculture Minister, has called on the Finance Minister, Dr Cassiel Ato Forson, to reverse Ghana’s proposed withdrawal from the West Africa Food System Resilience Programme (FSRP) a World Bank-backed regional initiative.
Mr Opoku warned that the decision could put more than GH¢643 million in existing commitments, as well as several key agricultural activities, at risk.
The Agric Minister in a letter to the Finance Minister dated 28 September 2026, Mr Opoku said the Ministry of Finance had written to the World Bank on 23 September seeking Ghana’s withdrawal from the programme without first consulting the Ministry of Food and Agriculture (MoFA).
He further disclosed that the World Bank subsequently directed the FSRP implementation team to pause a range of activities with immediate effect.
According to the Agric Minister, commitments have already been made under the FSRP facility for ongoing agricultural infrastructure works.
MoFA details that outstanding obligations for agricultural infrastructure works under the programme total GH¢643,867,633.36, adding that GH¢520,257,975.43 relates to credit from the International Development Association (IDA), while GH¢123,609,657.93 relates to the FS2030 Trust Fund.
Eric Opoku warned that notifying the World Bank of a withdrawal would not remove the government’s obligations under contracts already signed, warning of possible delays, additional costs or contractual claims if work is suspended or terminated.
MoFA further warned that rehabilitation works at the Weta, Vea and Kpong irrigation schemes, as well as selected inland valleys, could be affected.
“Hon. Minister, the withdrawal notice does not settle the State’s obligations under contracts already entered into. Without an alternative funding plan, Government may have to meet payments from other resources, leading to potential delays, additional costs or claims contract are suspended or terminated, depending on the terms of the contracts. Critical rehabilitation of irrigation infrastructure such as Weta, Vea, Kpong and selected inland valleys will be affected”.
Read the full statement below:
“The attention of the Ministry of Food and Agriculture (MOFA) has been drawn to a letter from the Ministry of Finance with reference No. ERM/WBGU/GEN/VOL IV dated 23rd September 2026 to the World Bank seeking withdrawal of the West Africa Food System Resilience Programme (FSRP) without prior consultation with this Ministry. In view of existing contractual commitments and the Bank’s subsequent directions, the Ministry requests urgent reconsideration of the decision.
The Ministry wishes to draw attention to commitments already made under the FSRP facility for ongoing agricultural infrastructure works. The total outstanding obligation arising from these commitments is Six Hundred and Forty-Three Million, Eight Hundred and Sixty-Seven Thousand, Six Hundred and Thirty-Three Ghana Cedis and Thirty-Six Pesewas (GHS 643,867,633.36). Of this amount, Five Hundred and Twenty Million, Two Hundred and Fifty-Seven Thousand, Nine Hundred and Seventy-Five Ghana Cedis and Forty-Three Pesewas GHS 520,257,975.43 relates to the IDA credit, while One Hundred and Twenty-Three Million, Six Hundred and Nine Thousand, Six Hundred and Fifty-Seven Ghana Cedis and Ninety-Three Pesewas GHS 123,609.657.93 relates to the FS2030 Trust Fund.
Hon. Minister, the withdrawal notice does not settle the State’s obligations under contracts already entered into. Without an alternative funding plan, Government may have to meet payments from other resources, leading to potential delays, additional costs or claims contract are suspended or terminated, depending on the terms of the contracts. Critical rehabilitation of irrigation infrastructure such as Weta, Vea, Kpong and selected inland valleys will be affected. Further to the Ministry of Finance’s letter, the World Bank, in an official email (copy attached) to the FSRP Project Implementation Unit dated 24th September 2026, issued the following directions in light of the withdrawal notice, with immediate effect:
1. Pause all activities and procurement under FSRP financed by the IDA credit.
2. Pause all activities and procurement under FSRP financed by the Recipient-Executed
Trust Funds.
3. Under the Norwegian grant, stop the procurement and execution of tomato seed
activities.
4. Under the Norwegian grant, stop the procurement and execution of micro-irrigation
and all related activities.
5. Under the FS2030 Trust Fund, stop recruitment for the embedded advisor to the
Ministry’s Network Operation Centre for the Feed Ghana Programme.
6. Under the FS2030 Trust Fund, stop recruitment for the Feed Ghana Brigade.
7. Under the FS2030 Trust Fund, stop recruitment of the data analyst.
8. Under the FS2030 Trust Fund, stop any further agreed activities for digitisation.
9. Under the FS2030 Trust Fund, stop any further agreed activities for farmer
registration.
10. Under the FS2030 Trust Fund, stop support to the Feed Ghana Secretariat.
The pause under the IDA credit and Recipient-Executed Trust Funds affects the Ministry’s ability to progress contracted works and planned procurement. In the context of the Finance-authorised commitments set out above, a prolonged pause risks delayed completion, additional costs or claims under the relevant contracts, and the need to meet obligations from other resources. The Norwegian grant stoppages interrupt tomato seed and micro-irrigation support. Because cultivation depends on seasonal planting windows, delays could defer production and the intended benefits to farmers beyond the period of the pause.
The separate FS2030 recruitment stoppages delay capacity for the Feed Ghana Network Operation Centre, the Feed Ghana Brigade and programme data analysis. The directions concerning digitisation, farmer registration and Secretariat support delay the systems needed to identify beneficiaries, target interventions and monitor delivery, while constraining coordination of field activities. Taken together, these directives place the implementation of Feed Ghana, a flagship Government programme and a commitment in the National Democratic Congress manifesto, under immediate pressure, with wider consequences for Ghana’s agricultural sector.
In view of the authorised commitments and the Bank’s immediate directions, the Ministry respectfully urges the Ministry of Finance to rescind its decision on the withdrawal of FSRP, formally retract the notice conveyed to the World Bank on 23rd September 2026 and seek the Bank’s written clearance for resumption of all affected activities, procurement, recruitment and programme support. The Bank-directed pause should remain in force pending that clearance.
The two Ministries should urgently reconcile all contractual commitments, payments due and activities affected, and engage the World Bank on an arrangement that protects ongoing works and restores implementation. Funding for the Pwalugu project should be pursued through an arrangement that does not jeopardise the State’s existing FSRP commitments or the affected agricultural interventions.
The Ministry of Food and Agriculture requests an urgent engagement on this matter so that the State’s obligations can be honoured and further disruption to the Feed Ghana Programme and the agricultural sector can be averted”.
See the statement below:
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