The Network for Women’s Rights in Ghana (NETRIGHT) has urged the government to make the Women’s Development Bank (WDB) work for rural businesses. This includes businesses owned by women, youth, and marginalised groups. The advocacy group also called for the bank's swift operationalisation.
NETRIGHT specifically advocated for the bank to address systemic challenges. These challenges prevent women from accessing funds through traditional banking and financial systems. The call comes after the government allocated GHS 51.3 million in 2025 for the bank’s establishment. An additional GHS 401 million was budgeted for 2026 to attract more funding for women-owned Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs).
The total government allocation for the WDB stands at GHS 452.3 million across the 2025 and 2026 budgets. Despite this significant funding, the Women’s Development Bank is yet to become operational. This delay raises concerns among poor rural women, businesses, and entrepreneurs who are awaiting access to these vital services. The lack of an operational bank means potential beneficiaries cannot access the funds intended to support their economic activities.
Mrs. Patricia Blankson Akakpo, Head of the NETRIGHT Secretariat, made this appeal on Tuesday. She spoke during a forum focused on promoting inclusive and gender-responsive budget priorities. Mrs. Akakpo noted that while the financial allocations were a positive step, critical questions remain. These questions concern the bank’s mandate, structure, and how beneficiaries will be selected. She emphasised the need for clear guidelines to ensure the bank effectively serves its intended purpose.
Mrs. Akakpo also raised concerns about the WDB’s ability to resolve long-standing issues. These issues include collateral requirements, complex documentation, and high interest rates. These factors have historically excluded rural women from the traditional banking system. She questioned the bank's structure and the modalities for women to access funds, asking, “What is sure about the women’s development bank… there should be modalities, is it there?”
NETRIGHT has submitted recommendations to the Ministry of Finance for the 2027 Budget. These recommendations aim to incorporate these issues for the effective implementation of the bank’s operations. The goal is to ensure women benefit and their limited access to finance is addressed. The organisation suggests leveraging existing women-friendly financial systems, such as village savings and loan associations. This approach would avoid imposing rigid banking models that might not suit rural communities. Transparency and disaggregated data in fund disbursement are also crucial for accountability.
Beyond the WDB, Mrs. Akakpo highlighted other budget concerns. She noted that while agriculture is a key economic driver, there are no specific targets or data to track progress for women, youth, and marginalised groups. This oversight risks reinforcing existing inequalities. Women constitute over half of Ghana’s agricultural labour force but face systemic barriers. These barriers include limited access to land, finance, inputs, extension services, and decision-making power. NETRIGHT recommends allocating 40 to 50 percent of agricultural programmes to women. This aligns with the Affirmative Action Act and requires sex-disaggregated data for accountability.
Mrs. Akakpo also called for deliberate linkages between state programmes and women producer cooperatives. Programmes like the School Feeding Programme and the National Food Buffer Stock Company (NAFCO) could address market accessibility challenges for women farmers. Furthermore, she expressed concern about the care economy. It is often treated as a private welfare responsibility rather than a public good. She urged the development of a national care policy with a costed implementation framework. This framework should be chaired by the Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection. It would coordinate childcare, elder care, disability services, and social protection initiatives. These comprehensive measures are essential for truly empowering women and fostering inclusive economic growth across Ghana.