Omanghana
The Minority Caucus in Parliament has strongly criticized the government’s 2026 Mid-Year Budget Review, describing it as an uninspiring presentation that prioritizes expenditure restraint without offering enough investment to stimulate production, employment and private-sector growth.
Led by Minority Leader Alexander Afenyo-Markin and former Finance Minister Dr Mohammed Amin Adam, the opposition argued that the positive macroeconomic indicators presented by Finance Minister Dr Cassiel Ato Forson have not translated into meaningful improvements in the lives of ordinary Ghanaians.
The caucus accused the government of relying on restricted expenditure and delayed releases to create the appearance of fiscal discipline while ministries, contractors and businesses struggle to obtain the resources required to operate.
Government officials have rejected the allegations, maintaining that substantial funds have been released to priority sectors and that spending controls are necessary to protect Ghana’s recent economic gains.
Minority Describes Review as “Kwashiorkor Budget”
Speaking to the Parliamentary Press Corps after the presentation, Dr Amin Adam described the review as a “kwashiorkor budget,” claiming it contained “only bones and no meat.”
He said the document was heavy on rhetoric but failed to introduce substantial policies capable of improving employment, productivity and household welfare.
“The government talks a lot but does little,” the Karaga MP said, accusing the administration of relying on propaganda and blame rather than addressing the economic difficulties facing citizens.
Afenyo-Markin offered a similar assessment during the parliamentary debate, describing the review as “full of English and empty payment.”
“We’re not interested in your books; we’re interested in the economy of our pocket,” the Minority Leader said.
The opposition maintained that lower inflation, exchange-rate stability and improved fiscal balances would have limited political value if businesses remained weak and young people could not find employment.
Claims of Fiscal Discipline Questioned
A central part of the Minority’s criticism concerned the government’s decision not to request supplementary estimates from Parliament.
Dr Forson announced that the existing 2026 appropriation of approximately GH¢357.1 billion would remain unchanged. Instead of increasing the total allocation, the Finance Ministry plans to realign expenditure within the approved budget.
“The 2026 appropriation remains unchanged. However, we are undertaking a strategic realignment of expenditures within the existing appropriations,” the Finance Minister told Parliament.
The Minority questioned whether that approach provided enough transparency over which programs would lose funding and which would receive additional resources.
Opposition MPs argued that major reallocations should be clearly disclosed to Parliament, particularly when they affect approved projects, ministries and social programs.
They called for detailed and verifiable information showing how much had been released, how much had been paid to contractors and which projects had benefited from the expenditure adjustments.
Opposition Accuses Government of “Weaponized Underspending”
The Minority also revived concerns it raised during the presentation of the 2026 Budget in November 2025.
At the time, the caucus cited official expenditure data showing that only GH¢3.8 billion had been released for goods and services out of a full-year allocation of GH¢6.7 billion for 2025. That represented approximately 56% of the annual allocation.
For capital expenditure, the opposition said only GH¢11 billion had been released out of GH¢32.6 billion, representing about 34%.
Those figures related to the execution of the 2025 Budget rather than spending under the current 2026 fiscal year. The Minority nevertheless cited the earlier pattern as evidence supporting its concern that the government could again restrict approved expenditure to meet short-term fiscal targets.
According to the caucus, delayed releases prevent ministries from buying fuel, equipment and other essential materials, even when public employees continue to receive salaries.
The opposition warned that inadequate capital spending also affects contractors, engineers, suppliers and workers involved in infrastructure projects.
Jobs and Private-Sector Growth
The Minority said the review did not provide a sufficiently detailed response to youth unemployment.
Opposition MPs argued that expenditure on public infrastructure could create jobs directly while generating demand for cement, steel, transport, engineering and other local services.
When government-funded projects slow down, they said, contractors face cash-flow problems, suppliers lose orders and workers risk being laid off.
The caucus also called for stronger tax incentives and credit measures to support private businesses, particularly micro, small and medium-sized enterprises facing high borrowing costs.
Dr Amin Adam maintained that economic stability must be accompanied by productive investment if Ghana is to achieve sustainable and inclusive growth.
The opposition said an economy cannot be described as healthy when businesses experience weak demand, young people struggle to find work and ministries lack the funds to implement approved programs.
Big Push and 24-Hour Economy Under Scrutiny
The Minority raised concerns about the pace and transparency of two of the government’s major programs: the Big Push infrastructure initiative and the 24-Hour Economy.
The Big Push was allocated GH¢30 billion in the 2026 Budget for strategic roads and bridges. The opposition, however, has questioned the award of road contracts, the payment schedule and the government’s capacity to finance all the projects announced under the program.
Minority MPs have also argued that delays in releasing capital funds could weaken the program’s ability to stimulate construction and employment.
The 24-Hour Economy is intended to encourage businesses and public institutions to operate beyond conventional working hours. The Minority said the initiative would require clear financing, reliable electricity, improved security, transport services and incentives for participating companies.
Without adequate funding and an effective implementation structure, the caucus warned, the program could remain a political slogan rather than a significant source of employment.
Disagreement Over Suame Interchange
The Minority has also criticized the government’s decision to revise the Suame Interchange project in Kumasi from its original four-tier design to a three-tier structure.
Opposition members argue that Parliament previously approved financing for the original design and that any major alteration should be explained in detail.
The government has rejected claims that the project is being neglected. Roads and Highways Minister Governs Kwame Agbodza said the revised design would reduce demolitions and save costs while maintaining the project’s intended benefits.
The government has also announced an additional GH¢3 billion for the interchange and surrounding road network. It says approximately US$29.5 million in outstanding contractor payments has been settled.
Officials insist that the project remains part of the Big Push program and is scheduled for completion by the end of 2028.
Concerns Over Social Protection
The Minority further warned against inadequate funding for social interventions, including programs supporting vulnerable children, survivors of domestic violence and victims of human trafficking.
The caucus argued that fiscal consolidation should not be achieved by weakening safety nets for people facing poverty, abuse or other forms of vulnerability.
It called for predictable releases to statutory and social-protection funds so that approved programs could operate throughout the year.
Civil society organization SEND Ghana previously welcomed increased social-sector allocations in the 2026 Budget but cautioned that delayed releases and implementation failures could prevent vulnerable communities from receiving the intended benefits.
Government Rejects Underspending Claims
The government has denied that it is suppressing expenditure to create artificial fiscal surpluses.
Dr Forson said major spending commitments had been met across public-sector compensation, pensions, education, health, agriculture, infrastructure and social protection.
He disclosed that GH¢48.8 billion had been paid as compensation to public-sector workers, including GH¢4 billion in contributions to the Social Security and National Insurance Trust and the Tier Two Pension Scheme.
The Finance Minister said the government would spend only what it could afford while ensuring value for money.
The administration argues that uncontrolled releases could recreate the large deficits, rising debt and inflationary pressures that contributed to Ghana’s recent economic crisis.
The government has also pointed to payments made to road contractors and funding allocated to agriculture and infrastructure as evidence that essential expenditure has not been frozen.
Government officials cited budget outlays to reject the Minority’s underspending allegations, insisting that fiscal discipline and development spending are being pursued together.
Minority Demands Change in Direction
The opposition wants the government to publish a clearer account of budget releases, contractor payments and expenditure realignments.
It also called for capital allocations to be released more quickly to revive construction activity and inject money into domestic supply chains.
Where revenue, expenditure or financing conditions have changed significantly, the Minority believes the government should present supplementary estimates rather than quietly shift resources among programs.
The caucus maintains that fiscal discipline should be measured not only by the size of the deficit but also by whether public spending supports production, jobs and long-term development.
The government, meanwhile, argues that disciplined expenditure is necessary to preserve lower inflation, protect the cedi and prevent another debt crisis.
The disagreement leaves Parliament facing a central economic question: whether Ghana’s current spending controls represent responsible consolidation or an excessive restraint that could weaken growth and employment.
Source: Omanghana
