The ECOWAS Bank for Investment and Development (EBID) has called for stronger institutions, good governance and inclusive policies to support Ghana’s sustainable development agenda.
The Bank said weak governance structures, persistent economic vulnerabilities, social inequalities, infrastructure deficits and climate change pressures continued to undermine development efforts in Ghana and across the wider West African sub-region.
Dr. George Agyekum Donkor, President of EBID, made the call at the 77th New Year School and Conference of the University of Ghana in Accra on Tuesday, where he outlined the institutional and policy reforms required to build what he described as “the Ghana we want.”
He said the desired Ghana should be anchored in the rule of law, transparency and accountability, equal opportunities based on merit, decent jobs, quality healthcare and reliable infrastructure, including roads, electricity and potable water.
Dr. Donkor stressed the need to build a knowledgeable and vigilant society, adequately resource institutions to enforce laws, promote local entrepreneurship and innovation, invest in enabling infrastructure and prioritise sustainability in national development efforts.
He reaffirmed EBID’s commitment to the region’s development agenda, noting that the Bank had invested more than US$5 billion across the 15 ECOWAS Member States in key sectors such as agriculture, energy, roads, mining, healthcare and education.
The 77th New Year School and Conference, hosted by the University of Ghana, brings together policymakers, academics, private sector actors and civil society organisations and is expected to issue recommendations to guide government action in the year ahead.
Dr. Donkor is the President and Chairman of the Board of Directors of the ECOWAS Bank for Investment and Development, a regional development finance institution owned by the 15 ECOWAS Member States.
A lawyer and development banker by training, he has over three decades of professional experience and previously served as EBID’s Vice-President for Finance and Corporate Services, as well as Head of Legal and Compliance.
Under his leadership, EBID has achieved key milestones, including credit rating upgrades by Moody’s and Fitch, accreditation to the Green Climate Fund, and the issuance of a Green, Social and Sustainable Bond on the Bourse de Valeurs Régionale in 2024.
The Bank has also received several regional and international awards for innovation and sustainability.
Dr. Donkor serves on several corporate and academic boards, including as a Council Member of the University of Ghana, and has professional interests in corporate law, leadership, change management and regional integration.