Minority Leader criticises government over failure to present first-quarter 2025 budget expenditure 

The Minority Leader, Cassiel Ato Forson has criticised the outgoing government for failing to present a proposal for expenditure in advance of appropriation to cover Ghana’s financial obligations for the first quarter of 2025.

Addressing the press after Parliament adjourned until January 2, 2025, Mr. Ato Forson expressed disappointment in the outgoing government’s handling of the transition process, cautioning that any unmet commitments between January 1 and January 7, 2025, would fall squarely on the shoulders of the Akufo-Addo administration.

“While we are very disappointed about this development, we want to caution the outgoing Akufo-Addo-Bawumia government that they will be responsible for all unmet commitments and obligations of the state from January 1 to January 7, 2025,” he stated.

Under Ghana’s Constitution, the outgoing president is expected to propose expenditure under Article 180 to ensure the public service is adequately catered for during the transitional period. 

Mr. Forson noted that this critical step was overlooked, leaving the state without the legal framework to manage expenditures at the start of the year.

“In the spirit of good transition, it was expected that the outgoing president, acting pursuant to Article 180 of the Constitution, would have brought before this Parliament a proposal for expenditure to cater for the first quarter of 2025. Sadly, President Akufo-Addo plans to leave the public service uncatered for,” Ato Forson lamented.

Despite this, the Minority Leader assured Ghanaians that the incoming National Democratic Congress (NDC) government would act swiftly to address the situation after taking office on January 7, 2025. 

He explained that the Vice President could present the expenditure in advance of appropriation to Parliament after the swearing-in, and the legislature would expedite its approval.

“The NDC government that will take office on January 7, 2025, will act with dispatch to cater for expenditure for the first quarter of the year 2025,” Mr. Forson assured.