The African Risk Capacity (ARC), led by its Director- General, Dr Jean Ngabitsinze, has presented a GHS32.9 million cheque to the Government of Ghana as payout under the 2024 Drought Insurance programme.

The presentation was made at a ceremony in Accra and followed a successful nationwide drought impact data validation exercise conducted across all 16 regions of the country.

The event was witnessed by officials from the National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO), the Ministry for the Interior, and other key stakeholders, marking a significant milestone in Ghana’s climate risk financing and disaster response efforts.

Speaking at the ceremony, Dr Ngabitsinze commended Ghana for its strong institutional coordination and strict adherence to agreed protocols, noting that these factors enhanced the country’s ability to respond effectively to climate-related shocks.

The Director-General of NADMO, Major Dr Joseph Kuyon (Rtd), expressed gratitude to ARC, the Global Shield Solutions Platform against Climate Risk, and the KfW Development Bank of Germany for their continued support.

He described the payout as timely, saying it would enable the government to respond swiftly while cushioning vulnerable communities from the socio-economic effects of drought.

The Deputy Minister for the Interior, Mr. Ebenezer Okletey Terlabi, also described the payout as a major milestone in Ghana’s disaster risk financing and response framework.

He highlighted the importance of ARC’s proactive risk pooling mechanism in supporting rapid responses to climate shocks.

The drought impact data validation exercise was carried out by NADMO in collaboration with technical experts from the Ministry of Food and Agriculture, the Ghana Statistical Service, the National Association of Peasant Farmers, and other relevant institutions.

The African Risk Capacity Group is a specialised agency of the African Union that supports African governments in planning for, preparing against, and responding to extreme weather events through innovative climate risk financing mechanisms.