The Minority in Parliament has accused the Minister for Finance, Dr Cassiel Ato Forson, of presenting misleading information during the July 24 mid-year budget review.

At a press conference in Accra, senior members of the Minority Caucus challenged the credibility of key claims made by the Minister, insisting that many of the so-called achievements were either inherited or exaggerated.

Addressing the media were the Ranking Member on the Finance Committee, Dr Mohammed Amin Adam; the Ranking Member on the Committee on Development and the Economy, Kojo Oppong Nkrumah; and the Deputy Ranking on the Finance Committee, Dr Gideon Boako.

The trio systematically dismantled what they described as “propaganda economics,” accusing the Minister of attempting to whitewash the government’s failings.

Dr Amin Adam stated, “The Finance Minister has gone to great lengths to praise himself for indicators that were made possible only because of groundwork laid by the previous NPP administration.”

“From reserves to debt restructuring, there’s a deliberate attempt to mislead the public.”

He cited the US$11.12 billion in reserves reported by the Minister, noting that over US$8.9 billion of that figure was inherited.

Kojo Oppong Nkrumah also raised concerns about inconsistencies in gold export data between the Minister’s review and earlier remarks by President Mahama.

“It is not just about numbers. It is about the credibility of government. When the President says one thing and his Finance Minister says another, Ghanaians are right to be concerned,” he remarked.

Dr Gideon Boako further criticised the government for claiming credit for debt restructuring outcomes that were achieved under the former administration.

“How can the same Minister who condemned the debt exchange programme now turn around and claim glory for the credit rating upgrade that directly stemmed from it?” he asked.

The Minority urged the public to demand greater transparency and warned that the country’s economic future could suffer if accountability continues to be sacrificed for political expediency.