Private legal practitioner and policy analyst Kofi Bentil has praised Finance Minister Dr Cassiel Ato Forson for his management of the economy but cautioned him against taking excessive credit for the country’s recent economic improvements.
The Finance Minister, he said, has demonstrated discipline in managing the economy but needs to recognise the foundations and sacrifices that contributed to the current economic recovery.
“Ato Forson has done very well. Nobody can objectively say that he is not doing a good job,” Mr Bentil stated.
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Speaking on TV3’s The Key Points programme during a discussion of the 2027 Budget, Mr Bentil described Dr Ato Forson as a “great shepherd” who had taken good care of the economic conditions he inherited.
However, he argued that the Minister should not present himself as a transformational leader who has created economic conditions that did not previously exist.
According to him, Ghana’s economic recovery must be understood within the broader context of previous government policies, particularly the Domestic Debt Exchange Programme (DDEP), which he said created fiscal space for the current administration.
He also referred to the gold reserves accumulated before the current government took office and the origins of the GoldBod initiative, arguing that the present administration had built on existing foundations.
Mr Kofi Bentil nevertheless commended the government’s handling of these inherited opportunities, particularly the use of the fiscal space created by the debt restructuring.
“If Ato continues like this, and by the end of the fourth year he does not deviate, he will go down as one of the best Finance Ministers in Ghana,” he said.
He, however, cautioned against repeating the mistakes of the previous administration, which initially received widespread praise for stabilising the economy and recording strong growth but subsequently presided over excessive borrowing and the debt crisis that resulted in the DDEP.
Mr Bentil recalled that Ghana recorded economic growth of 6.3 per cent in the early years of the Akufo-Addo administration, arguing that early economic improvements should not automatically be treated as proof of long-term success.
He urged Dr Ato Forson to remain focused on fiscal discipline, avoid political distractions and resist pressure associated with the next election cycle.
“The Bible says the end of a thing is better than the beginning,” he said, adding that the Finance Minister’s final record would depend on how he manages the economy throughout his tenure.
Mr Kofi Bentil stressed that although he is encouraged by the government’s current economic performance, the ultimate test would be whether the gains could be sustained.
He stressed that the Finance Minister has an opportunity to build a lasting economic legacy but should remain mindful of the lessons from Ghana’s previous economic cycles.