Former Information Minister Kojo Oppong Nkrumah has criticized the government’s 2025 budget, labeling it as a hoepless document that lacks vision and fails to address the growing economic challenges facing Ghanaians.
At a press conference in Parliament last Thursday, he accused the government of prioritizing non-essential expenditures over critical needs, warning that the budget will deepen the country’s economic woes.
Oppong Nkrumah dismissed the government’s claim that the budget represents an economic “reset,” arguing that it offers no concrete solutions to pressing issues such as the rising cost of living, unemployment, and infrastructure deficits.
“This budget provides no hope for Ghanaians. It will only worsen the cost of living, increase unemployment, and slow down infrastructure development. The people of Ghana deserve better,” he stated.
The former minister criticized the government’s allocation of resources, stressing what he called skewed priorities. He pointed out that while critical sectors like job creation and infrastructure are underfunded, excessive amounts are being directed to non-essential areas.
“The total compensation for about 12 ministries combined is GH₵9 billion, yet the Jubilee House alone is receiving GH₵2.7 billion. This is a massive jump from the GH₵326 million allocated under Akufo-Addo. This clearly shows where their priorities lie,” he said.
Oppong Nkrumah also slammed the budget for lacking a clear plan to tackle youth unemployment, a major concern for many Ghanaians. He questioned the government’s decision to lower economic growth projections, noting that the NPP administration previously created 2.3 million jobs by achieving an average growth rate of 7% before 2020 and 5.7% by 2024. “We needed 7% growth to create jobs. How will a reduced growth rate of 4.4% do better?” he asked.
He further criticized the freeze on public sector recruitment, warning that it would exacerbate the already dire employment situation and indicated those hoping to secure jobs in the public sector will be disappointed .
Oppong Nkrumah warned Ghanaians to prepare for increased electricity and fuel prices, citing government policies that will place a heavier financial burden on households.
He revealed that electricity prices would now be adjusted quarterly, leading to frequent hikes in utility bills.
“The government has also quietly removed subsidies on gas used by Independent Power Producers (IPPs), pushing prices from $7.8 per MMBTU to $8.4 per MMBTU. This will inevitably lead to higher power costs for consumers,” he explained.
He also expressed disappointment over the government’s failure to address rising fuel prices, despite earlier promises to mitigate the impact.
“Drivers should expect continuous fuel price hikes. The government had an opportunity to address this, but they failed to act,” he said.
Oppong Nkrumah took aim at the government’s much-touted ‘Big Push’ infrastructure initiative, describing it as underfunded and unrealistic.
“The ‘Big Push’ promised $10 billion for infrastructure over four years, which translates to $2.5 billion annually. Yet, the budget only allocates $800 million—less than half of what’s needed. Even the government’s own projects need a push,” he said.
He also raised concerns about the future of the Agenda 111 hospital project, warning that many facilities may remain incomplete due to budget cuts.
“The government has hinted at reducing funding for these projects. This is worrying because millions of Ghanaians in remote areas are depending on these hospitals for healthcare,” he added.
He warned that if the budget is implemented as it stands, Ghanaians will face even greater hardships and lamented that tThis is not the leadership the people voted for.