Gov’t spends GH¢8.94 bn on free SHS, other flagship programs in 2024
The Government of Ghana spent a total of GHS8.94 billion on its flagship programs in 2024, with the Free Senior High School (SHS) and Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) initiative receiving the largest share, according to the latest Auditor-General’s report on the Whole-of-Government Accounts.
The Free SHS/TVET program, which remains the cornerstone of the government’s education reforms, was allocated GHS3.6 billion, reaffirming its central role in the national development agenda.
According to the Auditor-General, the expenditure reflects the government’s continued emphasis on expanding access to secondary and technical education despite ongoing fiscal constraints and calls for value-for-money assessments across several initiatives.
Education and Youth Development Dominate Spending
The report details major allocations to various social intervention and economic empowerment programs.
The School Feeding Program, overseen by the Ministry of Gender, saw total spending of GHS1.13 billion in 2024. This program provides daily meals to millions of pupils in public basic schools and aims to improve enrollment, retention, and child nutrition.
Another significant outlay went to nursing training allowances, which received GHS533.5 million, while teacher training allowances and feeding accounted for GHS113.4 million.
In the youth empowerment category, the Youth Employment Agency (YEA) received GHS438 million to support job creation initiatives, and the Student Loan Trust Fund was allocated GHS2.27 million.
Boosting Agriculture and Rural Livelihoods
The government also spent heavily on agriculture-focused interventions. The Fertilizer Subsidy program, under the flagship Planting for Food and Jobs, received GHS917.5 million, supporting smallholder farmers and boosting local food production.
In a further effort to protect food security, the Food Farmer Recovery Relief Program was allocated GHS618 million to aid farmers affected by climate shocks and market disruptions.
Additionally, the Livelihood Empowerment Against Poverty (LEAP) program, which provides cash transfers to extremely poor households, was supported with GHS628.9 million.
Infrastructure and Enterprise Support
The flagship One District One Factory (1D1F) program, which aims to industrialize the economy through district-level manufacturing plants, received GHS32.3 million in 2024, including stimulus packages for distressed businesses.
Analysts, however, continue to flag underperformance in meeting targets for job creation and output.
Other interventions included GHS196.2 million for Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) and West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) subsidies, GHS240 million for the Ghana CARES Obaatan Pa Program focused on post-COVID economic recovery, and GHS45 million allocated to the Microfinance and Small Loans Centre (MASLOC) for microfinance support.
The National Identification Program received GHS288.6 million to further strengthen the country’s digital governance infrastructure, while scholarships and capitation grants for second-cycle institutions accounted for GHS102.4 million. Education support services also included GHS33.2 million for Arabic instructors, and GHS7.4 million was allocated for Zongo Development Initiatives.
Calls for Stronger Oversight and Value-for-Money Audits
While the government defends these expenditures as necessary investments in social development, economic inclusion, and resilience, several civil society organizations and fiscal analysts have raised concerns over the lack of transparency and measurable outcomes.
In particular, critics have called for a detailed performance audit of the Free SHS, School Feeding, and Planting for Food and Jobs programs, noting issues with procurement inefficiencies, delayed disbursements, and limited monitoring.
“Allocating nearly GHS9 billion in one fiscal year to flagship programs is substantial, But we must ensure the spending translates into measurable improvements in quality of education, livelihoods, and economic resilience. That requires more than allocation, it requires enforcement of accountability,” said a policy analyst from the Centre for Budget Accountability.
