Cape Coast South lawmaker, Kweku George Ricketts-Hagan, has said that it will be a shame to Ghana’s democracy if the Minority boycotts the mid-year budget presentations.
He explained that the mid-year budget review had been advertised long ago for all members to attend; therefore, it would be surprising for the opposition lawmakers to boycott.
Touching on the economy, Ricketts-Hagan stated that the economy had been sick before the NDC administration took over.
The Mahama administration, he said, has taken steps to restore the economy, including the introduction of the Gold Bod.
“The money was actually not there when we took over,” he said.
He says the NDC has not even finished forming its government than to talk of implementing policies to grow the economy.
Speaking to journalists in Parliament ahead of the mid-year budget presentation on Thursday, July 24, he said, “The economy has been doing well before they took over. It doesn’t mean the NDC are doing badly because they are still forming their government.”
Dr Amoah also told the Finance Minister, Dr Cassiel Ato Forson, to be truthful in the mid-year budget presentation.
He asked the Finance Minister to eschew propaganda and paint the true picture of the economy to Ghanaians.
Speaking to journalists in Parliament ahead of the mid-year budget presentation on Thursday, July 24, Dr Amoah noted that when it comes to the exchange rate, the Black Markets are offering different rates, whereas the banks and the Forex Bureaus are also offering different rates.
I expect the NDC and Dr Ato Forson to speak the truth to Ghanaians,” he said.
“One country offering different exchange rates, Forex Bureaus offer 13 Cedis, Black Market offers 14, banks offer 10, but they don’t even have the dollars,” he added.
Similarly, Old Tafo lawmaker Ekow Vincent Assafuah told the Finance Minister to scrap the Covid-19 Levy.
He asked the Mahama administration to honour its pledge to remove the Covid levy.
Covid-19 levy should be scrapped, I don’t see why something they promised to remove is still in existence,” he told TV3 ahead of the mid-year budget presentation on Thursday, July 24.
Also in relation to the mid-year budget, the Government of Ghana has been told to outline measures to address the issue of leakages of foreign exchange to the black market.
General Secretary of the Ghana Agricultural Workers Union, Mr Edward Kareweh, who made the call, noted that the Cedi is the blood of the economy; therefore, every measure should be taken to address the challenges it faces.
The government and the BoG must detail plans against persistent foreign exchange leakage into the black market in the 2025 Mid-Year Budget Review, he said on TV3 ahead of the mid-year budget presentation by the Finance Minister, Dr Cassiel Ato Forson.
Kareweh further said that stakeholders expect a further appreciation of the Cedi against the major trading currencies.
The Cedi has been gaining momentum against the Dollar in recent months. As of Thursday, July 24, it was buying at 10.4948 against the Dollar and selling at 10.5053, per the Bank of Ghana rate.
Kareweh said he expects the stability to continue.
Meanwhile, Member of Parliament for Sagnarigu, Issah Atta has assured Ghanaians that the government does not intend to introduce new taxes in the mid-year budget.
Also speaking on TV3 New Day’s, Thursday, July 24, 2025, Issah Atta noted that the budget review will highlight the economic gains of the government.
According to him, he also expects the finance minister to update Ghanaians on the debt position of the country, the job opportunities and challenges that the 2025 budget presented.
“It is not just a mere review…We are expected to hear our budget performance as at now…No new tax will be introduced today as for that one I can say for a fact. Yet, we will continue efforts in terms of revenue collection,” he stated.
Increasing your tax to GDP need not necessarily means increasing your collection,” he added.
The Minister of Finance, Dr Cassiel Ato Forson, will be presenting the 2025 mid-year budget today, Thursday, July 24, in Parliament.
He said he is returning to Ghanaians through the presentation of the 2025 mid-year budget statement to ask the people’s representatives whether the Mahama administration has made an impact so far with the laid-out roadmap to restore economic stability and rebuild confidence.
Dr Forson stated that since he became Finance Minister, a number of concrete measures have been introduced to restore the economy, leading to stability in the exchange and inflation rates.
In a post on his X page ahead of the mid-year budget presentation on Thursday, July 24, Dr Forson said that “At my vetting, I made a firm commitment to the Ghanaian people: to stabilise the exchange rate, reduce inflation, and create jobs.
These were not mere words—they were promises backed by action. Soon after, I stepped out of the meeting rooms and into the markets—to hear firsthand how the cedi’s depreciation was affecting livelihoods. I listened, I took note, and I acted in the 2025 Budget, I laid out a clear roadmap—concrete measures to restore economic stability and rebuild confidence.”
He added “now, as we approach the Mid-Year Fiscal Policy Review, I return to you, the people, to reflect on the journey so far—and to ask: are we making the needed impact so far?”
Onuaonline
