Parliament erupted on Monday, February 23, 2026, as Minority Spokesperson on Economy and Development, Hon. Kojo Oppong Nkrumah, delivered a scathing critique of the Mahama administration's approach to the 2026 Budget Statement.
In a moment that has since gone viral, Oppong Nkrumah urged the National Democratic Congress (NDC) Majority to move beyond partisan rhetoric and "listen to the mistakes" the previous NPP government made, rather than repeating them through lack of transparency and detail.
 |
| Kojo Oppong Nkrumah |
The 17 "Missing" Documents & Supreme Court Threat
The primary source of the tension is the Minority's claim that the government has failed to provide detailed program documents for its most ambitious policies.
"Not Even an A4 Sheet": Oppong Nkrumah alleged that while the budget allocates billions to the 24-Hour Economy, the Big Push Infrastructural Plan, and the Women’s Development Bank, the government has not submitted a single policy document explaining how these programs will be implemented, monitored, or audited.
Supreme Court Ultimatum: The Minority has threatened to head to the Supreme Court to compel the Finance Minister, Dr. Cassiel Ato Forson, to release these documents, arguing that approving the budget without them violates the Public Financial Management (PFM) Act and undermines parliamentary oversight.
Constitutional Breach?: Oppong Nkrumah argued that allocating public funds to "ghost projects" with no verifiable framework is a breach of the 1992 Constitution's provisions on accountability.
"Don't Repeat Our Mistakes"
In a rare moment of political candor, Oppong Nkrumah admitted that the previous government (NPP) faced challenges by sometimes rushing flagship projects without sufficient stakeholder buy-in, urging the NDC not to follow that path.
"We are telling you to listen to our mistakes so you don't repeat them. If you continue with this 'debate only' politics where you talk on TV but hide the documents in the Ministry, you will run this economy into the ground faster than you think."
The Battle Over "Secret" Taxes
Beyond the missing documents, the Minority is challenging the government’s narrative on tax relief.
The Extension Trick: Oppong Nkrumah accused the government of "hiding" taxes by extending the sunset clauses of existing levies like the Growth and Sustainability Levy and the Special Import Levy from 2025 to 2028.
New Levies: He specifically cited a newly introduced GH¢1 levy on every litre of fuel under the amended Energy Sector Act as evidence that the "Reset" budget is actually a "tax-heavy" document.
Revenue Misses: The Ranking Member highlighted data showing a GH¢7.7 billion shortfall in revenue for the first three quarters of 2025, questioning the credibility of the 2026 targets
0 Comments