Ketu North Member of Parliament, Eric Edem Agbana, has accused the Minority in Parliament of being accustomed to what he described as a culture of reckless public spending, arguing that this explains the caucus’s criticism of the Government’s fiscal discipline.
Contributing to the debate on the 2026 Mid-Year Budget Review on Wednesday, July 29, Mr Agbana said the opposition appeared unable to distinguish between responsible expenditure and wasteful spending because of its experience in government.
He argued that the Mahama administration has chosen a different path by exercising restraint in public expenditure while directing resources to priority sectors capable of driving economic growth and improving the livelihoods of Ghanaians.
“Yes, they are so used to the culture of normalised expenditure and reckless spending to the extent that fiscal discipline appears to them as not spending.”
Mr Agbana maintained that the government’s prudent use of public funds is yielding positive results, as reflected in the improving state of the economy.
He said the administration would continue to pursue responsible fiscal policies despite criticism from the opposition, insisting that sound economic management was more important than politically motivated spending.
His comments follow concerns raised by some Minority MPs in Parliament, during the debate on the 2026 Mid-Year Budget Review presented by the Finance Minister, Dr. Cassiel Ato Baah Forson.
Former Deputy Finance Minister, Abena Osei-Asare, had said government expenditure has declined by GH¢31 billion in the first half of the year, arguing that the decline in government expenditure is stifling economic growth.
“Mr. Speaker, for expenditure same time last year, half-year 2025, we saw expenditure fall by GHC18.5 billion but this year half-year, expenditure is down by GHC31.3 billion.
“Government is balancing the books by not spending and if spending, they are not spending at the right places. We are stifling growth by not spending in the right places,” she stated.
Ofoase-Ayirebi MP, Kojo Oppong Nkrumah, on his part called out the Government for being unable to execute some of its promises on jobs and project as at mid-year 2026.
Oppong Nkrumah noted that in the history of the country, this is the first time a Finance Minister has been unable to tell Parliament about Government’s executed economic programme for the mid-year.
“This is the first time a Finance Minister has presented the Mid-year review and has not been able to tell the country how much of the economic programme has been executed and how much has not been executed.
“This Minister made promises of projects, jobs and programmes to the tune of GHC30 billion which it has not executed as at half-year. As at half-year, they have under executed the budget by GHC30 billion,” he said.
Minority accuses government of under-spending, says GH¢31bn expenditure cut is stifling growth
