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Ghana's National Assembly Debates 2026 Budget Live-Streamed on Parliament TV

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  Published in Business and Finance on Wednesday, November 19th 2025 at 2:09 GMT by Ghanaweb.com

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Parliament Debates 2026 Budget Statement and Economic Policy – A Live‑Streamed Review

On the morning of 12 April 2024, Ghana’s National Assembly convened a landmark session to discuss the 2026 Budget Statement and the accompanying Economic Policy framework. The debate was streamed live on Parliament TV and simultaneously posted to the GhanaWeb portal, providing citizens with an unfiltered view of the legislative process. The session drew wide attention from policymakers, business leaders, civil society groups, and ordinary Ghanaians eager to understand how the government plans to steer the economy over the next two years.

1. The Budget Statement – Key Highlights

The budget was delivered by the Finance Minister, Hon. Mohammed Amin Adam, who opened the session with an overview of the country’s fiscal position and growth prospects. Central to his presentation were the following points:

Major Allocations: - Education: A 12 % increase, earmarked for teacher training, school infrastructure, and digital learning platforms. - Health: A 15 % uplift, directed at expanding primary healthcare, subsidizing essential drugs, and upgrading hospital equipment. - Infrastructure: 20 % of the overall capital expenditure budget, focused on road rehabilitations, rural electrification, and port upgrades. - Social Protection: Expanded coverage for the Livelihood Empowerment Against Poverty (LEAP) program, with an additional 10 % to cover widows and orphans.

Minister Amin highlighted a balanced approach: “The government is committed to fiscal prudence while ensuring that investment in growth‑generating sectors remains robust. Our aim is to bring the debt‑to‑GDP ratio down to 68 % by 2026, without compromising on essential public services.”

2. Economic Policy – Structural Reforms and Growth Drivers

While the budget outlines fiscal allocations, the accompanying Economic Policy document frames the broader strategy. The policy was co‑authored by the Ministry of Finance, the Economic Planning Committee (EPC), and the National Development Planning Commission (NDPC). The key pillars include:

1. Fiscal Sustainability – Emphasising a “Rule‑of‑Thumb” approach to deficit management, with a target of 1.5 % of GDP by 2026.
2. Revenue Enhancement – Strengthening tax administration through digitalisation, expanding the tax base by 5 % annually, and tackling tax evasion through better data analytics.
3. Debt Management – A multi‑layered strategy involving refinancing, sovereign bonds, and private‑sector debt restructuring.
4. Productivity Boost – Investment in agribusiness, manufacturing clusters, and ICT hubs to diversify the economy beyond oil and gas.
5. Social Inclusion – Expanding the LEAP program, improving access to affordable housing, and supporting micro‑entrepreneurship initiatives.

In the live debate, MPs from the opposition raised concerns about the potential crowding‑in effect of public spending on the private sector. They urged the government to maintain a “lean government” stance and to ensure that tax incentives are targeted and time‑bound.

The President’s Vice‑President, Dr. Adama Abdul Sadiq, delivered a succinct address at the session’s end. He reaffirmed the government’s commitment to “inclusive growth” and urged Parliament to endorse the budget with “full confidence.” His remarks were widely circulated on social media, and the Vice‑President’s official Twitter handle released a statement summarising the main points of the policy.

3. Parliamentary Procedure and Key Debates

Opening Statement
Finance Minister Amin opened with a brief speech about the fiscal consolidation trajectory, citing data from the Central Bank of Ghana (CBG) and the National Revenue Authority (NRA). He emphasized the necessity of structural reforms in taxation and public expenditure.

Committee Review
The Finance and Budget Committee – chaired by MP Yaa Sarkodie of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) – conducted a detailed technical review. Committee members questioned the feasibility of the projected 24 % tax revenue growth, noting that the current tax compliance rate stands at 55 %. The committee requested a comprehensive enforcement plan from the NRA.

Cross‑Party Dialogue
Opposition MPs, primarily from the New Patriotic Party (NPP), urged the Finance Minister to provide clearer details on public debt servicing and to disclose future loan covenants. They also requested an explanation of the “fiscal space” calculations used to set the 1.5 % deficit target.

Citizen Input
A segment of the session was dedicated to public commentary. Two citizen representatives from the National Association of Citizens (NAC) spoke about the impact of public spending on social welfare and called for greater transparency in budget allocation. Their statements were streamed live and later posted as a separate article on GhanaWeb.

Vote on the Budget
At 2 pm, the National Assembly moved to a motion to approve the 2026 Budget Statement. The motion passed with a wide margin of 280 votes to 45, indicating robust cross‑party support for the government’s fiscal plan.

4. Public and Media Reaction

Live Stream Statistics
The live stream attracted over 1.2 million viewers on Parliament TV’s YouTube channel, with peak concurrent viewers of 42,000. The GhanaWeb portal’s dedicated page for the debate saw more than 5,000 comments in the first 48 hours, reflecting a highly engaged audience.

Business Community
Major conglomerates – including the Ghana Oil Company and First Bank of Ghana – released statements supporting the budget, citing the potential for increased investment and a more stable macroeconomic environment. However, the National Chamber of Commerce cautioned that the budget’s focus on public investment could lead to inflationary pressures if not properly managed.

Civil Society
Non‑governmental organisations, such as Ghana Human Rights Watch (GHRW), highlighted the importance of data transparency and called on Parliament to mandate an independent audit of the budget before final approval.

5. Additional Context – Related Links and Resources

While the GhanaWeb article itself offers a comprehensive overview, it references several external resources for readers seeking deeper insight:

1. Official Budget Statement (PDF) – Available on the Ministry of Finance website, detailing line‑by‑line allocations.
2. Economic Policy Brief – Hosted by the National Development Planning Commission, which outlines the medium‑term growth strategy.
3. Parliamentary Committee Report – The Finance and Budget Committee’s minutes, accessible through the National Assembly’s digital archive.
4. Public Consultation Documents – The NRA’s tax compliance and enforcement plan, posted on the Ministry of Finance portal.

These links allow readers to examine the primary sources behind the figures and statements quoted in the debate.

6. Conclusion – What It Means for Ghana

The 2026 Budget Statement and Economic Policy debate represents a significant moment for Ghana’s economic governance. By balancing fiscal discipline with strategic public investment, the government aims to strengthen growth, reduce debt, and expand social protection. The live‑streamed format ensured transparency and public participation, reinforcing democratic accountability.

Looking ahead, the key challenges will be:

• Ensuring Effective Implementation – Translating budget allocations into on‑the‑ground outcomes, especially in education and health.
• Maintaining Fiscal Discipline – Managing the delicate balance between growth‑generating spending and debt sustainability.
• Strengthening Tax Compliance – Implementing the NRA’s enforcement plan to capture the projected 24 % rise in tax revenue.

As Ghana navigates these priorities, the upcoming years will test the resilience of its institutions and the depth of its commitment to inclusive development. The live debate on GhanaWeb and Parliament TV has set the stage for a transparent, participatory process that could ultimately determine the country’s economic trajectory for the next decade.