Afenyo-Markin Tears Into Mahama’s 2027 Budget, Makes Fresh Claims About Jobs and Economic Hardship

Minority Leader Alexander Afenyo-Markin has criticised the 2027 Budget, accusing the government of prioritising economic statistics and political messaging over tangible improvements in employment, living conditions and business activity.

He described the National Democratic Congress (NDC) administration as overly focused on slogans, arguing that claims of economic recovery and stability had yet to translate into meaningful relief for ordinary Ghanaians.

Afenyo-Markin made the remarks on Thursday, November 12, following the presentation of the 2027 Budget Statement and Economic Policy by Finance Minister Dr Cassiel Ato Forson in Parliament.

According to the Minority Leader, many households and businesses continue to struggle with high food prices, unemployment and difficult operating conditions despite the government’s positive economic indicators.

“Let Ghanaians know that this NDC government is a sloganeering government. What they came to do was to subject us to another round of slogans and no jobs,” he said.

He maintained that the figures presented by the government did not reflect the financial difficulties confronting citizens, particularly those struggling to afford basic necessities.

To support his argument, Afenyo-Markin referred to food prices in major markets across the country, including Techiman, Tamale, Kumasi Asafo, Winneba Central and Makola.

He also questioned the level of assistance available to farmers and expressed concern over the reduction in the cocoa farmgate price, which he said contradicted expectations created by the NDC while it was in opposition.

The Minority Leader further challenged the government’s proposed New Economy agenda, which is expected to attract US$10 billion in investment between 2027 and 2030.

He demanded a breakdown of the amount earmarked for investment in 2027, alongside details of the specific projects expected to benefit from the proposed funding.

Afenyo-Markin also questioned how the New Economy initiative would complement the government’s 24-hour economy policy, arguing that the budget had not provided sufficient clarity on how the two programmes would be implemented.

On public sector financial commitments, he welcomed the Finance Minister’s announcement that the government was prepared to meet its obligations to bondholders under the Domestic Debt Exchange Programme (DDEP).

However, he questioned why similar assurances had not been provided regarding outstanding payments owed to members of the Judicial Service Staff Association of Ghana (JUSAG), teachers and nurses.

He also demanded clarity on the availability of funds for public sector recruitment, arguing that the government needed to demonstrate how it intended to address these outstanding obligations.

The Minority Leader further criticised the government for failing to provide clear figures on the number of jobs created since assuming office, insisting that employment opportunities remained a major concern for Ghanaians.

He also raised questions about the government’s proposed women’s bank, noting that the initiative had featured in previous budget presentations but was missing from the latest fiscal policy document.

In addition, Afenyo-Markin expressed concerns about electricity costs and what he considered inadequate incentives for businesses, stressing that private sector investment remained essential to economic expansion and job creation.

He indicated that the Minority would undertake a more detailed examination of the 2027 Budget and present a comprehensive position following its internal budget workshop.

Source: https://mobile.ghanaweb.com/GhanaHomePage/NewsArchive/2027-Budget-Sloganeering-government-delivering-stability-on-paper-Afenyo-Markin-2061121

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