2025 Budget: Akufo-Addo govt left a GHS1.2 Trillion worth economy to Mahama – Gideon Boako

Dr. Gideon Boako, MP for Tano North, has asserted that Finance Minister Dr. Cassiel Ato Forson must acknowledge the strong economic foundation left by the previous NPP government. He cited Ghana Statistical Service data indicating that the Akufo-Addo administration left behind an economy worth GHS 1.2 trillion.

Speaking ahead of the 2025 Budget presentation, Dr. Boako urged the finance minister to be transparent about the progress made by the previous government and outline his plans for further growth.

He emphasized that recent GDP figures confirm economic resilience, with a 5.7% growth rate in 2024, surpassing the revised 4% target. However, he noted a slowdown in Q4, driven by weaker performance in the industry sector, particularly mining and quarrying.

Dr. Boako also highlighted the drop in Ghana’s public debt-to-GDP ratio from 80.4% in 2020 to 61.8% in 2024, attributing it to the NPP’s successful debt management strategy.

He suggested that Ghana could meet the IMF’s debt sustainability target of 55% earlier than expected if the new government continues with similar fiscal policies.

He dismissed claims by the NDC that they inherited a struggling economy, accusing them of attempting to manipulate fiscal data to support a negative narrative. He called on the finance minister to present only verified data in the budget to ensure transparency.