Minority Leader in Parliament, Alexander Afenyo-Markin, has criticised the 2026 Mid-Year Budget Review as only full of English, describing it as uninspiring and lacking the substance needed to address Ghanaians’ economic and social concerns.
The Effutu Member of Parliament made the remarks while responding to the Mid-Year Fiscal Policy Review presented by Finance Minister Dr Cassiel Ato Forson in Parliament on Thursday, July 23, 2026.
According to Afenyo-Markin, the Finance Minister’s presentation was dominated by broad statements and claims about the government’s achievements but failed to provide adequate details and evidence to support some of the assertions.
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He argued that the review did not offer the level of clarity and accountability expected from a mid-year assessment, particularly regarding government expenditure, payments made and the implementation of key policies.
The Minority Leader questioned why the government failed to provide specific details on some of the payments it claimed to have made.
He insisted that Parliament and the Ghanaian public deserved comprehensive information on how state resources were being utilised.
“This review is full of English with empty payments. The payment they say they have done, why didn’t they give us details?” Afenyo-Markin asked.
He described the review as uninspiring and only loaded full of English, arguing that the government’s presentation did not adequately address the challenges facing citizens.
“Mr. Speaker, this review is uninspiring, and there is no inspiration in it. What we are experiencing in this country is persecution. You are persecuting people, and you are here telling us you are running an economy,” he said.
The Minority Leader also raised concerns about what he described as the prevailing political environment in the country.
Afenyo-Markin alleged that some individuals are being subjected to persecution while the government focuses on presenting an image of economic progress.
He questioned the government’s claims of economic recovery, arguing that the achievements outlined in the 2026 Mid-Year Budget Review did not adequately reflect the realities being experienced by many Ghanaians.
The Minority’s response comes after Dr Ato Forson presented the government’s assessment of the economy and outlined key measures and achievements during the first half of 2026.
The Finance Minister highlighted developments including the decline in inflation, improvements in employment figures, a reduction in multidimensional poverty and progress towards Ghana’s debt sustainability targets.
However, the Minority maintains that the government’s claims must be backed by greater transparency, detailed expenditure information and concrete evidence of improvements in the lives of ordinary Ghanaians.