Release climate, gender and environmental funds on time – CSOs urge government

Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) have urged the Ghanaian government to release climate action, gender-responsive programmes and environmental protection funds on time to benefit vulnerable communities. Kasa Initiative Ghana and ABANTU for Development emphasized that significant funds allocated in the 2026 budget would have limited impact if not released promptly.

The organisations reviewed the 2026 Mid-Year Fiscal Policy Review, finding gaps between allocations and actual releases. For instance, the Livelihood Empowerment Against Poverty (LEAP) programme had only released 44% of its allocation by June. Similarly, the Ghana School Feeding Programme had only allocated 44% of its funds. The National Anti-Illegal Mining Operations Secretariat (NAIMOS) had only released 11% of its 2026 allocation.

Funding for environmental enforcement agencies was also inadequate, raising concerns about the pace of reaching beneficiaries. The organisations highlighted the need for greater transparency in budget reporting, citing the unreleased Contingency Fund for emergency flood response. They called for prioritization of women farmers, fisherfolk, youth, and climate-vulnerable communities, especially in marginalized areas.

The CSOs also recommended institutionalizing Climate and Gender Budget Tagging and setting up a national monitoring framework to track climate and gender outcomes.