Ghana’s government says it has earmarked GH¢10 million in the forthcoming 2027 national budget as seed funding for a revived Media Development Fund.
President John Dramani Mahama announced the proposed allocation at the 30th Ghana Journalists Association Media Awards in Accra on Saturday, 7 November 2026.
The budget is expected to be presented to Parliament on Thursday, 12 November, meaning the allocation remains subject to the country’s budget process.
Support for training and investigative reporting
According to reports by Graphic Online and MyJoyOnline, the proposed fund is intended to support journalist welfare, professional training, investigative reporting, digital literacy and safety programmes.
Mahama also said the government would work with the Ghana Journalists Association to seek additional contributions from corporate institutions.
Independence will be central
The president said support should be delivered while respecting media independence. The detail of how the fund will be governed, how grants will be allocated and what safeguards will apply is expected to become clearer after the budget is laid and implementing arrangements are published.
The announcement comes amid continuing debate across Africa about how journalism can be financed without weakening editorial independence or creating political influence over newsrooms.
This is a developing policy proposal. BaretaNews will update the report when Ghana’s 2027 budget is presented to Parliament.
