By Francis Ntow/Issah Mohammed
Accra, Nov 12, GNA â Some Ghanaians have shared their expectations ahead of the presentation of the 2026 Budget Statement and economic policy on the floor of Parliament on Thursday, November 13, 2025.
Stakeholders, including economic watchers and representatives of the trading community have affirmed the need for the government to prioritise efforts to create jobs while sustaining the recent macroeconomic stability gains.
They are among other things calling for a shift from macroeconomic stabilisation toward stimulating real-sector growth that would lead to the delivering of tangible benefits to citizens.
Dr Daniel Anim-Prempeh, Chief Economist, Policy Initiative for Economic Development (PIED), noted that Ghanaâs 2025 fiscal year centred on stabilising inflation, the currency, and broader macro indicators.
Looking ahead to 2026, he said the government must now channel its efforts into the real sectors of the economy such as manufacturing, agriculture, value-addition – so that âcitizens could feel the impact in their pocket.â
âThe managers of the economy must expedite action in terms of the implementation of the Big Push⊠The budget should come out with strategies and policies that will create opportunities for the citizens,â he encouraged.
Dr Anim-Prempeh cautioned, however, that the exit of the International Monetary Fund programme should not be treated as a green-light for reckless spending, saying: âStability is now behind us; the real test is whether the budget enables growth that works for Ghanaian households and businesses.â
Dr. Joseph Obeng, President of the Ghana Union of Tradersâ Associations (GUTA), welcomed the economy-stabilising measures, pointing to improved inflation and interest-rate trends as positive for business growth.
While urging the government not to introduce new taxes, he called for simplification and affordability of the Value Added Tax (VAT) system to improve compliance and ease burden for Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs).
âWhat we are hoping is for the taxes to be realigned to be more user-friendly, more affordable to affect the growth of businesses.â Dr Obeng said.
Mr. Vish Ashiagbor, Senior Partner at PWC Ghana, supported the call for Valued Added Tax(VAT) reforms, saying, ââweâre expecting the reform of the VAT framework, which we look forward to being announced. Our expectation is that weâre looking forward to measures that will ensure that stability continues.â
Professor Patrick Asuming, an economist at the University of Ghana Business School, speaking on a different media platform, asked the government to increase investment in the agricultural sector.
âThe agriculture budget is important. This sector should really be the base for everything the government is going to do going forward in the long-term. We should focus on providing a ready market for our farmers, which is far more beneficial than just giving them tax waivers.â
âWe need improved infrastructure, irrigation, good feeder roads, and access to quality, subsidized inputs like seeds and fertilizer. Addressing these fundamental issues will unlock the sectorâs potential and provide the real foundation for the countryâs productive transformation,â he added.
The presentation of the budget to Parliament is in accordance with Article 179 of the Constitution, detailing the governmentâs revenue mobilisation and expenditure priorities and policy direction for the year ahead.
It has significant implications for the countryâs economic stability, growth, and development, investorsâ decision, and provides an opportunity for transparency and accountability, allowing citizens to hold the government responsible for its financial decisions.
In accordance with the 2026-29 Budget Preparation Guidelines from the Ministry of Finance, government has identified its focus areas to include reducing hardships, maintaining macro-stability, implementing structural reforms, generating decent jobs, and restoring investor confidence.
Through various stakeholder engagements, the government has indicated the continuation of social intervention programmes like the No academic fee policy for all first-year students in public tertiary institutions, distribution of free sanitary pads to female students in primary and secondary schools and the free tertiary education for Persons with Disabilities (PWDs).
It has also assured that the Livelihood Empowerment Against Poverty (LEAP), Capitation Grant, alignment of the Free SHS programmes to the GETFund, Ghana School Feeding Programme, Free Primary Healthcare, the Ghana Medical Care Trust (MahamaCares) would also be continued.
Some new priority programmes for 2026 include the âAdwumawuraâ programme, National Apprenticeship Programme, establishment of the Womenâs Development Bank, Digital Job Initiatives (one million coders programme), as well as pursue other growth interventions including promoting entrepreneurship to support private sector development.
Others are the âBig Pushâ infrastructural project, 24-hour Economy and Accelerated Export Development Programme, Agriculture for Economic Transformation Agenda (AETA) which includes the Feed Ghana Programme, the Ghana Grains Development Project, the Vegetable Development Project and the âNkoko Nkitinkitiâ initiative(domestic and commercial poultry).
GNA
12 Nov. 2025
Edited by Samuel Osei-Frempong