ACCRA: Dr. Mohammed Amin Adam, the Minister for Finance, highlighted that Ghana's economy has rebounded significantly from recent challenges, with a notable recovery on the macroeconomic front for 2024. He reported an average growth rate of 5.8 percent for the first half of 2024, marking the highest recorded growth in the past five years. Additionally, inflation is on a downward trend, and the Ghanaian cedi is gaining strength. Dr. Adam made these remarks during a monthly briefing aimed at updating the public on the economic developments since the last engagement in October 2024. According to Ghana News Agency, Dr. Adam noted the Ghanaian economy's nominal size rose from USD 56 billion in 2016 to USD 76 billion by the end of 2023, and it is expected to grow further by the end of 2024 when the Ghana Statistical Service releases the year-end data. Despite it being an election year, the government has maintained fiscal discipline while executing extensive infrastructure projects nationwide. The Finance Ministe r also announced the successful completion of a debt restructuring program for both domestic and external debts within one-and-a-half years. This achievement coincides with negotiating a USD 3 billion, three-year IMF-supported program, with the IMF Executive Board approving the third review on December 2, 2024. Dr. Adam emphasized the government's commitment to stability and fiscal consolidation while improving gross international reserves and external sector balances. Social welfare and protection have also been a priority, with strengthened and expanded access to social intervention programs. The number of households receiving cash grants under the LEAP program increased by 64.4 percent from 212,917 in 2016 to about 350,000 in 2024. The LEAP cash transfer budget rose from GHS 50 million in 2016 to GHS 720 million in 2024, with benefits indexed to inflation for the first time in 2023. Beneficiaries of the Ghana School Feeding Programme increased by 141 percent, from 1,671,777 in 2016 to 4,029,580 in 2024, w ith an increase in public basic schools involved. Moreover, the cost per meal per child per day under the School Feeding Programme was raised from GHS 0.80 in 2016 to GHS 1.50 in 2024. The National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) expanded coverage to include various health services, such as childhood cancers and mental health care. The Capitation Grant per recipient rose from GHS 5.00 in 2016 to GHS 15.00 in 2024, and total enrollment under the Free SHS/TVET programs surged from 813,448 in the 2016/17 academic year to 1,488,575 in 2023/2024, reflecting an 83 percent increase. The government also expanded the number of public Astroturfs from three in 2016 to over 150 by June 2024 and introduced the Free Dialysis Programme across health centers providing dialysis services.