The Government of Ghana and the Government of Japan have signed a grant agreement valued at ¥402 million under the Japanese Grant Aid for the Human Resource Development Scholarship (JDS) Programme.

The signing ceremony, held at the Ministry of Finance in Accra, marks the launch of the third batch of the fourth phase of the programme.

Speaking at the event, Finance Minister Dr. Cassiel Ato Forson expressed Ghana’s appreciation to the Government and People of Japan for their consistent support. He noted that the programme aligns with Ghana’s ongoing efforts to strengthen institutional capacity and build a resilient, knowledge-driven public sector.

Dr. Forson also provided updates on Ghana’s economic outlook.

According to him, Ghana’s sovereign credit ratings are expected to improve soon, reflecting the country’s progress toward economic recovery.

Executive Senior Vice President of the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), Miyazaki Katsura who led the Japanese delegation, acknowledged Ghana’s request and reaffirmed Japan’s commitment to long-term development cooperation. She emphasised the strategic importance of the JDS Programme in preparing Ghanaian professionals for leadership and institutional reform.

The ceremony concluded with the signing of the grant agreement, reinforcing the strong bilateral partnership between Ghana and Japan and paving the way for expanded cooperation in both human capital and infrastructure development.