President John Dramani Mahama has underscored the urgent need for Ghana to mobilise more domestic financial resources to strengthen its education system, saying long-term sustainability cannot rely solely on external support.

Speaking at the 2025 Doha Forum in Qatar, the President said that while international assistance remains important, true progress in education requires consistent and reliable internal funding anchored in national ownership and responsibility.

He cited the Ghana Education Trust Fund (GETFund) as a successful example of Ghana’s ability to generate local financing for education through its 2.5% VAT contribution on goods and services.

“At a point in time, we realised that education was a key sector to Ghana’s progress and development, and so as a nation we decided to contribute to everything we purchase 2.5% VAT, and that goes into the Ghana Education Trust Fund. That fund alone is able to mobilise sufficient revenue,” he told participants.

President Mahama stressed that Ghana must build stronger domestic revenue systems to reduce reliance on donor funding and ensure stable support for infrastructure, learning materials, and tertiary education expansion.

The President also highlighted the need for Ghana to overhaul its agricultural practices in response to rapidly changing climatic conditions.

He said the country can no longer depend predominantly on rain-fed agriculture, calling instead for major investment in irrigation systems to support farmers and secure food production.

“We need to adapt our agriculture to a new reality. That means we must put more land under irrigation. Poor farmers will not be able to afford the cost that comes with it, and that is why my government has decided to embark on appropriate and affordable irrigation for the farmers,” he stated.

Mahama emphasised that improved irrigation infrastructure would boost productivity, create rural jobs, stabilise food supply, and enhance climate resilience.

The President’s submissions at the Doha Forum reinforced Ghana’s broader development agenda, which hinges on internal resource mobilisation, education transformation, and modernised agricultural systems capable of withstanding global climate pressures.