The Ministry of Finance has commenced budget hearings for Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs) to shape Ghana’s 2026 to 2029 budget framework. The exercise will inform the 2026 Budget Statement, expected to be presented to Parliament in November by Finance Minister Dr. Cassiel Ato Forson in line with the Public Financial Management Act.
Required by Regulation 17(3) of L.I. 2378, the hearings enable MDAs to review performance, justify funding requests, and align programmes with government priorities. MDAs must present NDPC-approved development plans, performance reports, and detailed budget proposals with output indicators and expected outcomes. Officials warn that failure to participate could trigger administrative sanctions such as withdrawal of support or exclusion from additional allocations.
The hearings come against a backdrop of strengthening fundamentals. At the mid-year budget review in July, Finance Minister Dr. Cassiel Ato Forson said:
“We didn’t come to manage economic decline. We came to reverse it and reset it.”
He credited deliberate policies for containing inflation and stabilizing the currency.
Government has tightened Ghana’s procurement system, restricting approvals to MDAs with approved budgets and allotments to curb leakages and inefficiencies. Deputy Finance Minister Thomas Nyarko Ampem confirmed that amendments to the Public Procurement Act now require commencement certificates and budgetary provisions as prerequisites for any central government-funded procurement.
Government has tightened Ghana’s procurement system, allowing approvals only for MDAs with approved budgets and allotments to curb leakages, corruption, and inefficiencies.
Despite improving indicators, analysts highlight risks, including Arrears payments, which fell 36.2% below target (GH¢4.78B vs. GH¢7.50B) in the first half of the year, and inadequate extractive sector revenue mobilization.
The Finance Ministry says the hearings will ensure spending plans align with fiscal targets and development priorities. The 2026 Budget Statement will be presented to Parliament in November.
