Ghana's parliamentary Minority has accused the government of failing to implement approximately GHS 30 billion worth of projects, jobs, and programs from the 2026 Budget. This significant shortfall, they argue, has stalled development across the country despite the government's claims of fiscal discipline.
Kojo Oppong Nkrumah, Ranking Member on Parliament's Economy and Development Committee and New Patriotic Party (NPP) Member of Parliament (MP) for Ofoase-Ayirebi, led the criticism during the 2026 Mid-Year Budget Review debate. He stated that the Finance Minister failed to account for the implementation of the government's economic program as required by Section 28 of the Public Financial Management Act. This law mandates the mid-year review as a platform for the Finance Minister to report on budget execution.
This alleged under-execution of the budget by GHS 30 billion fits into a broader narrative of fiscal challenges and economic management debates in Ghana. The country has been navigating an International Monetary Fund (IMF) program, which often entails strict fiscal targets and expenditure controls. The Minority's claims suggest that these controls may be impacting planned development initiatives and public services.
Mr. Oppong Nkrumah dismissed government communicators' claims that the 2026 review was historic because no additional appropriations were sought. He argued the real issue was the government's failure to deliver on approved programs. "What has happened for the first time is that a finance minister has presented a mid-year review without telling the country how much of the economic programme has been executed and how much has not," he stated.
The Ofoase-Ayirebi MP pointed to figures in Appendix 2A of the Mid-Year Budget Review, which he said showed the GHS 30 billion under-execution by the end of the first half of 2026. This amount, he maintained, represents promised projects, employment opportunities, and government programs that have not been delivered to Ghanaians. He asserted, "The reason many constituencies do not have projects going on is because this government has under-executed the budget by GHS 30 billion."
Mr. Oppong Nkrumah also challenged the Finance Minister's explanation that expenditure restraint was necessary to meet the IMF-supported primary balance target of 1.5 percent. He argued that fiscal targets should be achieved after implementing planned economic programs, not by withholding expenditure. He further criticized indications that the government might reduce the primary balance target to 0.5 percent in 2027, describing it as a retreat from fiscal discipline. "The solution is not in lowering the primary balance. The solution is in paying more attention to your revenue measures so that you generate the revenues you need," he advised.
The Ranking Member argued that the government's spending restraint had significant social costs. He linked the alleged under-execution to inadequate funding for flood control projects, claiming delayed investment contributed to devastating floods that claimed 34 lives. He also alleged that the Ministry of Food and Agriculture could not access about GHS 1.6 billion for fertilizers and other agricultural interventions, despite government claims of fund releases. Shortages in agricultural support, he said, contributed to rising food prices.
Furthermore, Mr. Oppong Nkrumah accused the government of delaying financial clearance for teacher and health worker recruitment. This delay, he noted, leaves thousands of qualified young people unemployed while schools and health facilities face staffing shortages. He also argued that suppressed government spending reduced economic demand, contributing to lower inflation figures while ordinary Ghanaians still faced a high cost of living. He criticized the government for increasing import duties after previously promising reductions.
Responding to the Minority's claims, Eric Afful, Chairman of Parliament's Economy and Development Committee and National Democratic Congress (NDC) MP for Amenfi West, defended the government's fiscal performance. He insisted that the country had largely met or exceeded its economic targets for the first half of 2026. He rejected suggestions that government revenue had fallen significantly short of expectations. Domestic revenue was projected to reach 7.9 percent of Gross Domestic Product (GDP) by mid-year, with actual performance at 7.8 percent of GDP.
Mr. Afful also dismissed claims of under-spending, noting that total expenditure on a commitment basis reached 8.0 percent of GDP against a half-year target of 9.9 percent. He highlighted continued government spending in areas like employee compensation, interest payments, Eurobond debt servicing, and payments to domestic bondholders under the Domestic Debt Exchange Programme. These expenditures, he stated, helped sustain economic activity and restore confidence in the financial sector. The Amenfi West MP concluded that Ghana's improving macroeconomic indicators demonstrated prudent fiscal management.
The debate highlights ongoing tensions between the government and the opposition regarding economic management and budget implementation. Future discussions will likely focus on the government's ability to balance fiscal consolidation with essential development spending. Investors and citizens will watch for concrete evidence of project execution and the impact on economic growth and public welfare.