Former Minister of Information Kojo Oppong Nkrumah has launched a scathing critique of the 2025 budget, calling it a document devoid of hope and direction.
He accused the government of failing to address the pressing economic hardships faced by Ghanaians, describing the budget as a collection of misplaced priorities that will exacerbate the country’s challenges.
Speaking at a Minority press conference in Parliament on Thursday, Oppong Nkrumah dismissed the government’s claim that the budget represents an economic “reset,” arguing that it offers no tangible solutions to the rising cost of living, unemployment, or infrastructure deficits.
“This budget does not offer any hope. It will worsen the cost of living, increase unemployment, and slow infrastructure development. Ghanaians deserve better,” he stated.
Oppong Nkrumah’s accusations
Oppong Nkrumah stressed the government’s skewed priorities, pointing out that while critical sectors like job creation and infrastructure are neglected, excessive funds are being channelled to non-essential areas.
“The total compensation for about 12 ministries combined is GH₵9 billion, yet Jubilee House alone is receiving GH₵2.7 billion. This is a massive jump from Akufo-Addo’s GH₵326 million. This shows where their priorities lie,” he said.
He also slammed the budget as lacking concrete plans to tackle youth unemployment, a major concern for many Ghanaians.
According to him, the NPP administration created 2.3 million jobs by growing the economy at an average of 7% before 2020 and 5.7% by 2024 and questioned the government’s plans to drop growth to 4.4%, stating, “We needed 7% to create jobs, how will 4.4% do better?”
Oppong Nkrumah also slammed the decision to freeze public sector recruitment, warning that it would worsen the already dire employment situation.
He argued that those hoping to secure jobs in the public sector will be disappointed. because the government has announced a net freeze on public sector hiring.
The former minister warned Ghanaians to brace for higher electricity and fuel prices, citing government policies that will increase the financial burden on households. He revealed that electricity prices would now be adjusted every quarter, leading to frequent hikes in light bills.
“Worse, the government has secretly removed subsidies on gas used by Independent Power Producers (IPPs), pushing prices from $7.8 per MMBTU to $8.4 per MMBTU. This will lead to higher power costs for consumers,” he explained.
He also lamented the government’s failure to address rising fuel prices, despite earlier promises to cushion the impact and warned drivers to expect continuous fuel price hikes and stressed that the government had an opportunity to address this, but they failed to do so.
The ‘Big Push’
Oppong Nkrumah also aimed at the government’s infrastructure plans, describing the much-touted ‘Big Push’ initiative as underfunded and unrealistic.
He said, “The Big Push promised $10 billion for infrastructure over four years, meaning we should see $2.5 billion per year. Yet, the budget only allocates $800 million—less than half of what’s needed. Even the government’s projects need a push.”
He raised particular concerns about the future of the Agenda 111 hospital project, warning that many facilities may remain incomplete due to budget cuts.
The government, he said, has hinted it will cut funding for these projects, which is worrying because millions of Ghanaians in remote areas were depending on these hospitals for healthcare,.
Oppong Nkrumah painted a bleak picture of the 2025 budget and accused the government of failing to prioritize the needs of ordinary Ghanaians, stressing, “If this budget is implemented as it stands, Ghanaians will face even greater hardships. This is not the leadership the people voted for.”
By Osumanu Al-Hassan/thenewsbulletin24.com