Speaking in Parliament on Thursday, November 20, Boamah-Nyarko said the government’s own defence of the budget reflected a lack of confidence in the document.

He pointed to the Deputy Finance Minister’s contribution as evidence that the budget is hollow.

“Unfortunately, the Deputy Finance Minister, for the past 15 minutes, never commented on the budget that he himself has supported in presenting to the House. He only came in to comment on remarks passed by the Minority, which he thinks he disagreed with,” Boamah-Nyarko said.

“That tells us as a House that the budget presented by the Finance Minister is not fit for purpose and lacks substance,” he added.

Deputy Finance Minister Thomas Nyarko Ampem, in his submission in Parliament, had insisted that the government has demonstrated superior economic management. He said the budget stands on strong macroeconomic gains achieved over the past year.

Nyarko Ampem highlighted key indicators, citing a drop in inflation from 23.8% to 8%, a reduction in public debt from GHS 726 billion to GHS 630 billion, and a shift in the primary balance from a deficit of 3.5% to a surplus of 1.6%.

He also expressed his shock at former Finance Minister Dr Mohammed Amin Adam’s submissions on the budget, stating: “I was shocked to hear Dr Amin complain that we are not borrowing more, auctions are not coming. Is it that for your success is about borrowing? Clearly you borrowed and celebrated by throwing a kenkey party. We don’t see borrowing as an achievement.

“For us an achievement is managing less to do more for Ghanaians. In fact if quoting the bible hadn’t been made unpopular by somebody, I would have supported this by a bible story that talks about feeding 1000 men with five loaves of bread and two fishes. But I don’t want to go there.”