Ghana’s Minister for Defence, Dr. Edward Omane Boamah, has pushed back against claims that the country’s economy has “turned the corner,” asserting that Ghana remains in a state of economic distress due to debt burdens, mismanagement, and lack of accountability.
Reacting to Finance Minister Dr. Cassiel Ato Forson’s maiden budget presentation to Parliament, Dr. Boamah emphasized in a Facebook post that the 2025 budget is designed to reset Ghana’s economy by prioritizing fiscal responsibility, debt sustainability, macroeconomic stability, and job creation.
Dr. Boamah attributed the economic challenges to the policies of the previous New Patriotic Party (NPP) government, accusing it of excessive borrowing and reckless spending outside the expenditure framework. He assured Ghanaians that President John Dramani Mahama’s administration is committed to reversing these trends through fiscal discipline and efficient governance.
Highlighting the administration’s early achievements, Dr. Boamah listed key policy implementations, including:
– **Governance Reforms:** Reducing government size to 60 ministers.
– **Tax Reforms:** Abolishing the E-Levy and betting tax on winnings.
– **Education Initiatives:** Removing academic fees for first-year public tertiary students and introducing free tertiary education for Persons with Disabilities (PWDs).
– **Healthcare and Social Welfare:** Implementing Free Primary Healthcare and the MahamaCares programme, as well as distributing sanitary pads to schoolgirls.
– **Economic and Infrastructure Development:** Launching the $10 billion Big Push Programme for accelerated infrastructure projects.
– **Anti-Corruption Measures:** Introducing *Operation Recover All Looted State Funds* to promote accountability.
Dr. Boamah reiterated the government’s commitment to meeting the International Monetary Fund (IMF) targets while working to restore Ghana’s creditworthiness. He urged citizens to support the administration’s reform agenda, emphasizing that Ghanaians will no longer accept ineffective governance.
“We committed to Reset Ghana, and we are delivering,” he affirmed.
