2026 Budget: Lower your expectations – Amin Adam to Ghanaians

Former Minister of Finance, Dr Mohammed Amin Adam, has urged Ghanaians to manage their expectations following the presentation of the 2026 Budget by Finance Minister Dr Cassiel Ato Forson.

While acknowledging the budget’s emphasis on economic growth and development, Dr Adam expressed concern that allocations for capital expenditure remain too low to drive meaningful infrastructure-led transformation.

“Capital expenditure in 2026 is set at only 3.6% of GDP, far below the level required for significant developmental impact,” he noted.

Addressing the press on Friday, November 14, Amin Adam highlighted that rigid budgetary commitments continue to dominate government spending, limiting the room for transformative investments. Wages account for 5.7% of GDP, interest payments 3.6%, and statutory transfers about 4%.

“These rigid items consume more than two-thirds of total spending, leaving very limited room for transformative investments. In reality, this 2026 Budget is not investment-driven and masks serious challenges,” Dr Adam said.

He added: “It also shows that there is no structural shift as the composition of the budget remains the same. We urge Ghanaians to seriously manage expectations as we are in for another year of disappointment.”