The Finance Minister Dr Cassiel Ato Forson has outlined financial allocations for various sectors and initiatives in the 2025 budget, with a focus on education, infrastructure, social protection, and disaster relief.
The allocations aim to support the government’s economic recovery and development priorities, addressing immediate concerns while laying the foundation for long-term growth.
In all, there were 19 allocations highlighted in the budget and they include:
- Big Push Programme: GH¢13.85 billion (US$892.9 million)
 - No-Academic-Fee Policy for First-Year Students in Public Tertiary Institutions: GH¢499.8 million (US$32.2 million)
 - Distribution of Free Sanitary Pads to Female Students: GH¢292.4 million (US$18.9 million)
 - Support for Victims of the Akosombo Dam Spillage: GH¢242.5 million (US$15.65 million)
 - Support for Victims of the Tidal Wave Disaster in Ketu South: GH¢200 million (US$12.9 million)
 - Free Secondary Education Programme: GH¢3.5 billion (US$225.8 million)
 - Comprehensive Provision of Free Curricula-Based Textbooks: GH¢564.6 million (US$36.4 million)
 - School Feeding Programme: GH¢1.788 billion (US$115.7 million)
 - Capitation Grant: GH¢145.5 million (US$9.4 million)
 - Teacher Trainee Allowances: GH¢203 million (US$13.1 million)
 - Nursing Trainee Allowances: GH¢480 million (US$30.9 million)
 - National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS): GH¢9.93 billion (US$640.6 million)
 - Ghana Road Fund: GH¢2.81 billion (US$181.3 million)
 - District Assembly Common Fund (DACF): GH¢7.51 billion (US$484.5 million)
 - Agriculture for Economic Transformation Agenda (AETA): GH¢1.5 billion (US$96.8 million)
 - Seed Fund for the Establishment of the Women’s Development Bank: GH¢51.3 million (US$3.3 million)
 - National Apprenticeship Programme: GH¢300 million (US$19.4 million)
 - ‘Adwumawura’ Programme: GH¢100 million (US$6.5 million)
 - National Coders Programme: GH¢100 million (US$6.5 million)
 
In all the total budget allocation across the various sectors amounts to GH¢43.3 billion, which is approximately US$2.79 billion when converted using the exchange rate of GHC15.50 to 1 US dollar as of today, March 11.
Source: Myjoyonline

