The Member of Parliament for Mpraeso, Davis Ansah Opoku, has criticised the government’s 2026 Budget Statement, describing it as “heavy on slogans but empty on substance.”

Contributing to the debate in Parliament on Friday, November 20, the Deputy Ranking Member of the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) argued that the budget failed to provide clear, measurable policy direction for addressing the country’s economic difficulties.

According to Mr Opoku, the government devoted more effort to crafting catchy expressions than to outlining credible programmes that could deliver relief to households and businesses.

He stated that “Ghanaians are tired of slogans that lead nowhere,” adding that the budget once again repeated promises without demonstrating how those commitments would be funded or implemented.

“We expected solutions, not soundbites,” he remarked.

The Mpraeso MP said that beyond the messaging, the budget lacked concrete initiatives capable of stimulating growth or reducing unemployment.

He pointed out that sectors such as agriculture, manufacturing, and small-scale enterprises received what he described as “minimal attention,” despite their central role in economic recovery.

“A budget must reflect urgency and seriousness. What we received instead was a document full of lofty words and empty pages,” he added.

Mr Opoku further argued that the government had failed to provide a transparent account of how it intended to finance key projects, especially in the face of limited fiscal space.

He said the absence of detailed costings and timelines undermined public confidence in the administration’s economic management.

“Parliament cannot approve a budget that does not tell the country how programmes will be delivered or what they will cost,” he cautioned.

Concluding his submission, the Deputy Ranking Member urged the government to revise the budget and present a more practical framework that responds to the needs of ordinary Ghanaians.

He insisted that the country requires a plan rooted in realism rather than rhetoric.

“This is not the time for branding exercises; it is the time for action,” he stressed.