Millennium Development Authority backs U.S. aid agency’s new agenda
By Praisebell Rosemond Larbi
The Millennium Development Authority (MiDA), the Ghanaian agency responsible for implementing Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) programmes, has declared its commitment to align with the Trump administration’s renewed priorities for the U.S. aid agency.
The pledge follows a meeting of the MCC Board of Directors in Washington last week, where new partner countries were considered, existing programmes reviewed, and the Corporation reaffirmed its results-driven model of delivering development assistance.
Christopher Landau, U.S. Deputy Secretary of State and acting chair of the MCC Board, emphasised the Corporation’s importance to President Donald Trump’s “America First” agenda.
“MCC is an important tool to advance President Trump’s America First foreign policy agenda. With a focus on return on investment, an evidence-based approach, and a strict five-year implementation timeline, MCC ensures U.S. taxpayer dollars advance U.S. interests,” Mr Landau said.
In Accra, MiDA’s Chief Executive welcomed the direction outlined by the MCC leadership, stating that Ghana remains ready to adapt its implementation strategy to fit the Corporation’s principles.
“MiDA will implement MCC projects that focus on return on investment, an evidence-based approach, and a strict five-year implementation timeline,” he pledged, stressing Ghana’s continued commitment to the long-standing partnership.
The announcement marks a significant step towards renewed engagement, following a major setback in 2019 when Ghana lost access to USD190 million in funding under the second tranche of the MCC Power Compact.
The suspension was triggered by the collapse of a controversial 20-year concession agreement with Power Distribution Services (PDS), which had been contracted to bring private sector participation into the operations of the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG).
The U.S. government deemed the concession non-credible, halting disbursement and stalling what had been a flagship reform in Ghana’s energy sector. MiDA, which played a central role in rolling out the compact and supervising the transition to PDS, was left to manage the fallout.
The suspension was widely viewed as a blow to Ghana’s energy-sector reforms, especially given that the compact had been championed under President John Mahama’s administration as part of efforts to introduce efficiency and financial discipline into ECG.
Despite the setback, MiDA insists much of the groundwork laid under the compact remains valuable. Officials say the Authority is eager to use the experience to reposition Ghana as a credible partner for MCC programmes.
“We believe the foundations laid under the Power Compact still hold value. Ghana remains committed to transparency, private sector involvement, and delivering results that align with MCC’s standards,” the MiDA Chief Executive noted.
