Kojo Oppong Nkrumah
The Member of Parliament (MP) for Ofoase Ayirebi and former Minister of Information, Kojo Oppong Nkrumah, yesterday criticised the 2025 Budget, arguing that it exposes the government’s misplaced priorities and lack of coherence between its economic policies and manifesto promises.
He pointed out disparities in the allocation of funds that contradict the government’s professed priorities.
“You have allocated GH¢51 million for the Women’s Development Bank while assigning GH¢70 million for research at Jubilee House. You claim to support women, but your budget tells a different story,” he remarked.
Mr. Oppong Nkrumah also talked about other budgetary concerns including a 720% increase in compensation allocations for the Office of Government Machinery, compared to minimal allocations for economic sector ministries.
He condemned the GH¢4.1 billion allocation for gold purchases, arguing that such funds could have been used to address pressing infrastructure deficits in senior high schools.
The New Patriotic Party (NPP) MP accused the Finance Ministry of hastily adjusting national accounts with unaudited figures, questioning the credibility of the GH¢49 billion expenditure outlined in the budget.
Addressing key economic policies, Mr. Oppong Nkrumah pointed out the glaring inconsistencies between the government’s economic plan and its manifesto commitments.
“You have made 273 economic promises, yet your first budget only addresses 25 of them—just about 36%,” he stated, warning that if the trend continues, the government will likely fulfil less than 20% of its pledges by the end of its term.
The budget’s impact on cost of living was another focal point of Mr. Nkrumah, who pointed to increased utility tariffs and fuel levies that would further burden Ghanaians.
“You have done nothing to address food inflation, transport costs, or power tariffs, and now you are introducing new taxes that will only worsen the economic conditions for ordinary citizens,” he asserted.
Challenging the government’s economic growth projections, Mr. Oppong Nkrumah referenced independent economic forecasts.
“The economy you claimed was a ‘crime scene’ recorded 5.7% growth in 2024, yet your own projections for 2025 only indicate 4.4%. By our model, you should be targeting at least 8% growth,” he stated.
He urged the government to realign its economic policies with its manifesto, allocate funds in line with national priorities, and reconsider key aspects of the budget before final approval.
“You still have time to make corrections, and we in the Minority are willing to support you if you do what is right for the people of Ghana,” the MP intimated.
By Ernest Kofi Adu, Parliament House