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On a cloudy midday in a district of Accra, a crowd including officials, diplomats, aid representatives, and press gathered upon a learning space where pupils are seated around tables engaging with plastic bottle tops.

This remedial program for out-of-school children, between eight and 16, is run by a local initiative mostly funded by the British government. The attention stems from a visit by a British development official reviewing the impact of reduced assistance funding.

Joining her is Ghana’s top education official. “We appreciate the British government for its continuous investment in Ghana’s education,” he remarks. “We are deeply worried about falling international development assistance to the continent and to Ghana. It does have consequences.”

He comments about lost opportunities for the youngsters and how the Ghanaian government has had to address the shortage created by decreasing external funding. The UK official hears calmly, keeping a polite expression and gently nodding.

The minister was appointed after the UK’s decision to reduce the aid budget from 0.5% of GNI to 0.3 percent, marking a record low in share terms. This was a shift from earlier commitments to helping the world’s poorest communities.

The former official resigned in objection, stating that the cuts would damage the country’s image and remove critical support from needy communities. Seven months later, the new appointee is managing the roll-out of these adjustments.

But she does not view her position as difficult, rather seeing it as an chance to rethink development strategies. During her trip to Ghana, she commented, “This is the most rewarding job in public service. We can achieve much and make a difference for the better.”

According to latest figures, the continent is the biggest recipient of UK aid, getting nearly £1.5bn. Overall official development assistance spending fell by more than £1bn from the previous year, with a significant portion spent on asylum seekers within the UK.

Funding to Ghana has also reduced sharply in recent years, dropping from 47 million pounds in 2019 to £13.9m in last year.

Reduction] in support will inevitably put a lot of pressure on our government

Some areas and emergencies, such as Sudan, Ukraine, and Gaza, will still get protected funding. Additionally, the UK has pledged resources to global bodies with a strong record of impact, like the health initiative and Gavi.

However, news has surfaced of specific projects being cut, such as financial support for environmental adjustments in Malawi and education schemes in South Asia.

“We will have less money to spend on conventional programming,” the official admits. “That is a fact faced by many countries today. There is growing pressure on these budgets.”

Criticism of the cuts is broad. A recent report states that the changes will have a severe effect on women and girls and indicate that the UK is stepping back from international engagement at a pivotal time.

When asked about unfulfilled election promises, the official responded, “I don’t think we have damaged our reputation. Those who think that have a limited view of what global aid should be.”

She acknowledges she wishes there was more money to use but emphasizes that countries now desire more control over their development.

The president of Ghana has previously said that the continent requires not pity or foreign aid, but rather a equal opportunity to do business with the global community. This view is shared by other African leaders.

The official’s visit in Ghana aimed to showcase achievements such as a revenue collaboration between British and local authorities, which has raised an additional 100 million pounds each year. Staff from other African countries have visited Ghana to learn from the project.

Additional visited locations included a biotechnology company developing snake venom anti-serum and a medical center supported by the health organization to combat HIV/AIDS, malaria, and TB.

However, while infectious diseases remain, the primary health challenges in Ghana and throughout Africa are now non-communicable diseases like blood sugar conditions and high blood pressure. A local health official commented that NCDs have overtaken infectious diseases and that funding cuts will increase the burden on national resources.

Outside the school, the Ghanaian official voiced comparable concerns, criticizing the funding reductions but thanking the partnership with the UK. In response about the coming funding outlook, he said, “We will cope.”

The British official afterward proceeded to further engagements and a dinner before heading to a luxurious hotel in downtown Accra.