The Minority Caucus in Parliament has delivered a sharp rebuke of the 2026 Mid-Year Budget Review, describing it as uninspiring and accusing the Finance Minister of painting a rosy picture that does not reflect the realities on the ground.
Presented by the Minister of Finance, Dr Cassiel Ato Forson, the budget review touted progress across several sectors — but the Minority argues that Ghanaians are yet to feel the benefits.
Hardship Remains High Despite ‘Positive Outlook’
Speaking after the presentation, Minority Leader Alexander Afenyo-Markin acknowledged that macroeconomic indicators such as the cedi’s stability had improved on paper, but insisted that these gains had not translated into better living conditions for ordinary citizens.
“Many citizens continue to experience hardship,” he said, pointing to persistently high youth unemployment as evidence that the government’s positive outlook was disconnected from everyday reality.
‘That Statement Must Cause Palpitation Among Ministers’
Afenyo-Markin zeroed in on a particular remark by Dr Forson — that the true measure of a Finance Minister is not how much he spends — arguing that the comment would alarm his own cabinet colleagues.
“Mr Speaker, the Finance Minister has just told this House that a true character of a Finance Minister is not determined by how much he spends,” Afenyo-Markin said. “I believe that such a statement must cause a palpitation among ministers of state.”
“What he is basically telling all ministers is that he is not going to spend and release funds to them,” he added.
Figures Dispute Over Agriculture Funding
The Minority Leader also accused the Finance Minister of inconsistency in the figures presented. He noted that Dr Forson announced GH¢1.1 billion had been released to the Ministry of Food and Agriculture, while his deputy, Thomas Nyarko Ampem, had previously stated that GH¢1.6 billion had been disbursed.
Cocoa Sector Overlooked
Afenyo-Markin expressed disappointment that the budget review failed to outline specific policy interventions for the cocoa sector, despite the well-documented difficulties facing cocoa farmers.
“Mr Speaker, this budget review is full of English with empty payments,” he charged. “He said he has made some payments. Why didn’t he give us details?”
Majority Leader Fires Back
In response, Majority Leader Mahama Ayariga defended the Finance Minister, rejecting claims of inconsistency. He clarified that the GH¢1.1 billion released to the Ministry of Food and Agriculture was separate from GH¢551 million allocated for Farmer Service Centres, bringing the total disbursement to GH¢1.6 billion — consistent with the deputy minister’s earlier statement.
Ayariga also reaffirmed the government’s commitment to fiscal discipline, stressing that it would avoid returning to the international capital market to borrow to finance the economy.
