Press Release :
Accra, Ghana – August 26, 2025 – The International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) and the IMANI Center for Policy & Education are hosting a policy roundtable on Wednesday, August 27th at the Tang Palace Hotel, Accra, bringing together government, Parliament, development partners, civil society, and researchers to discuss the design and implementation of Ghana’s new Fiscal Council.
The new Fiscal Council, to be established under the Public Financial Management (Amendment) Act, 2025, will monitor and advise on Ghana’s fiscal performance. The same Act also sets a fiscal surplus target of at least 1.5% of GDP and a public debt ceiling of 45% of GDP by 2034. The roundtable will discuss how to make the Council credible, independent, and effective, helping to strengthen fiscal discipline while supporting Ghana’s development priorities.
Ghana’s history of debt distress and macroeconomic instability highlights the urgent need for such an institution. A well-designed Fiscal Council can:
• Provide evidence-based advice to improve budget and debt decisions
• Increase trust in government budgets, anchoring market and public expectations
• Increase transparency and accountability, boosting investor confidence
• Ensure fiscal policy supports essential development priorities like education, health, and infrastructure.
A new report will be presented outlining a roadmap for a robust and independent Fiscal Council. The recommendations focus on establishing a credible institutional structure, ensuring access to real-time fiscal data, and embedding transparent practices such as public reporting and independent debt analysis. The report presentation will be followed by a dialogue. The discussion will explore how the Ministry of Finance, Parliament, and development partners can integrate the Council’s work into the budget process, strengthen fiscal oversight, and support sustainable development outcomes.
About the Implementing Organizations
*The International Institute for Sustainable Development* (IISD)
The International Institute for Sustainable Development is an award-winning independent think tank working to accelerate solutions for a stable climate, sustainable resource management, and fair economies. We shine a light on what can be achieved when governments, businesses, non-profits, and communities come together. IISD’s staff of more than 250 experts come from across the globe and from many disciplines. With offices in Winnipeg, Geneva, Ottawa, and Toronto, our work affects lives in nearly 100 countries.
*IMANI
IMANI Centre for Policy and Education’s core objective is advancing freedom and prosperity by influencing policymaking and implementation through evidence-based research and advocacy. Over the past twenty years, IMANI has worked with public-spirited media and civil society to shape national, regional and global agenda in order to close the “citizen participation and accountability gap” in the governance process. IMANI has consistently been ranked the most influential think tank in Ghana, among the top five most influential think tanks in Sub-Saharan Africa and 100 globally out of a pool of nearly 10,000 organisations by the prestigious University of Pennsylvania, which ranks the world’s largest and most prestigious think tank research program.
Media Contacts
IISD: Lauren George, [email protected]
IMANI: David Kukuia-Glley, [email protected]
