The Greater Accra Resilient and Integrated Development (GARID) Project has spent over GHS 34 million on training programmes, workshops, and meetings. Expenditure records from the Ministry of Finance detail these costs between 2019 and 2026.
This significant spending covers various capacity building and administrative activities. These include workshops, stakeholder engagements, transport allowances, refreshments, accommodation, and general meeting logistics. The records highlight a focus on non-physical works within the multi-million dollar project.
This expenditure data comes under scrutiny after the World Bank downgraded the GARID Project's implementation. In May 2026, the World Bank labelled it "Moderately Unsatisfactory." The World Bank pointed to fiscal controls introduced by the Ministry of Finance in 2025 as a key reason for the slowdown. These controls caused delays in payments to contractors and impacted the execution of essential civil works.
Officials at the Ministry of Finance hold a different view on these fiscal controls. Sources close to the ministry indicate the controls were put in place after a review of historical project spending. This review found that many project resources were used for consultancies, training, and administrative expenses. The Ministry's decision aimed to redirect funds towards physical infrastructure development instead.
The GARID Project, approved by the World Bank, aims to improve flood risk management and solid waste management. It also looks to enhance urban resilience across the Greater Accra Metropolitan Area. Key investments include drainage infrastructure, flood mitigation works, and community upgrading initiatives. Capacity building and institutional strengthening are part of the original project design. Therefore, some expenditure on training and workshops is expected and allowed under the financing agreements. However, the scale of this spending compared to delays in major civil works raises questions.
The expenditure records themselves do not definitively prove if the spending was improper. They also do not confirm if it was inconsistent with the project's financing agreement. However, the large amount spent on training and administrative activities, alongside delays in crucial infrastructure works, will likely intensify debate. This debate will focus on how project resources were prioritised during implementation. This issue is now central to the disagreement between the World Bank and the Ministry of Finance. The World Bank attributes implementation delays to the Ministry's fiscal controls. The Ministry, however, insists the controls were necessary. They aimed to review spending patterns and re-channel resources towards the project's core infrastructure objectives.
This situation underscores the ongoing challenge of balancing administrative overheads and capacity building with direct infrastructure investment. Effective project management requires transparent allocation of funds. This ensures that a project's primary goals are met efficiently. The GARID project's outcome will depend on resolving this critical financial and operational divergence. Policymakers and stakeholders will continue to monitor the project's progress closely. The World Bank invested $350 million into the project. The project is vital for Accra's resilience against flooding and waste management challenges.