Minority says it has identified conflicting figures in the 2027 budget

The Minority in Parliament has accused the government of presenting inconsistent figures in the 2027 budget, raising questions about the reliability and clarity of some of the financial information provided to Parliament.

The Ranking Member of Parliament’s Finance Committee, Dr Mohammed Amin Adam, said a review of the Budget Statement revealed different figures for key expenditure and economic indicators in various sections of the document.

He cited Ghana's gross international reserves at the end of September 2026, which were recorded as US$12.7 billion in one paragraph and US$12.1 billion in another.

He also pointed to varying allocations for the Big Push programme, which were listed as GH¢27.8 billion, GH¢28 billion and GH¢29.8 billion in different sections of the Budget.

The Minority further identified discrepancies in the capital expenditure figures, which were stated as GH¢98.4 billion, GH¢98.3 billion and GH¢100.4 billion across different parts of the document.

Dr Amin Adam also questioned the Budget's statement that it had identified five principal risks, saying only four were listed. He argued that the risks omitted included the Bank of Ghana's losses, COCOBOD's GH¢30.55 billion debt and arrears in the energy sector.

“The Budget's numbers do not add up. Where the numbers do not match, Ghanaians must ask which one is real,” he said.

Addressing the media at Parliament on Friday, November 13, following Finance Minister Dr Cassiel Ato Forson's presentation of the 2027 Budget, Dr Amin Adam called for explanations to reconcile the differences.

He said the government must provide clear and consistent information to enable Parliament to properly scrutinise its expenditure plans, revenue projections and economic targets.