PUBLIC EXPECTATION ON MAHAMA’S MAIDEN BUDGET STATEMENT.

The Finance Minister, Hon. (Dr.) Cassiel Ato Forson pursuant to article 179 of the 1992 Constitution would on behalf of the President, H.E John Dramani Mahama present his maiden Budget Statement to Parliament on Tuesday, the 11th of March 2025, having been elected for his second term on December 7, 2024 as the President of the Republic of Ghana.
Article 179 (1) of the 1992 Constitution for instance reads “The President shall cause to be prepared and laid before Parliament, at least one month before the end of the financial year, estimates of the revenues and expenditure of Government of Ghana for the following financial year.”
However, before the said Budget is presented tomorrow to Parliament, the Information Services Department, Yilo Krobo, solicited views of some few individuals including public servants relative to their expectations on the Budget. The following views were expressed among others in the areas of agriculture, general economy, education, taxation and security.
On Agriculture, respondents were of the view that if Ghana’s economy was to revive, the trigger must be agriculture. They therefore expected government through the Budget to give clear indications as to how agriculture would be the driving force of the economy. Some of the respondents who believed in the government’s new livestock breeds policy also known as the “nkoko nkitinkiti” project expected government to be clear on the policy and make funds available for same forthwith.
Another expectation which the public expected not only to change the economic direction the country currently finds itself in but also to create employment for the teaming youth is the 24hr economy and respondent expected that this must be addressed clearly by the Budget to give hope to the youth.
On Education, though some respondents expressed hope that the challenges faced by the secondary schools would be addressed given the quick response by government to address food challenges faced by secondary schools when the new government took over, they expected statement in the Budget that would clearly give direction as to how the solution to these problems in the secondary schools would be sustained. Some of the respondents expected the Budget to either address or give an indication as to how the double track system for instance can be brought to an end in no distance time to ensure standard in the secondary schools.
Taxation was another thing respondents were keen about as they expected the Budget not only to cancel those taxes government promised to do away with (whilst in opposition) namely, the COVID-19 tax, Betting tax inter alia but expected government not to unnecessarily introduce new taxes but rather put in place robust mechanism to broaden the tax net by taking advantage of technology to aggressively robe in the informer sector.
On security, respondents bemoaned the rate at which criminal activities were being reported by the media including killing of people as well as chieftaincy issues with the accompanying breach of the peace which has been on the ascendancy and expected the Budget to address the logistic constraints of the security agencies to protect lives.
Generally, the public expected the Budget to address the campaign promises of the government to set the tone for resuscitation of the Ghana’s sinking economy.