Prof. Sharif Mahmud Khalid, Economic Policy Advisor at the Office of the Vice President, has defended Finance Minister Dr. Cassiel Ato Forson’s approach to Ghana’s 2026 Budget, describing it as a strategy of prudence aimed at stabilising the economy and attracting investors.
The 2026 Budget focuses on growth, stability, and fiscal discipline, with real GDP expected to grow by 4.8 percent and a projected budget deficit of 2 percent for the year. The government aims to achieve non-oil GDP growth of around 4.9 percent, maintain inflation within 8 ± 2 percent, and ensure gross international reserves cover at least three months of imports—all measures designed to strengthen investor confidence and support currency stability.
Speaking on Channel One TV’s The Point of View on Monday, November 17, Prof. Khalid said: “What Minister Forson is basically trying to do to sum it in one word is prudence. Prudence is what he is doing, pure and simple. We are trying to spare the numbers to have a real achievement of what could reflect on the pockets and lives of people, what will attract investors and the biggest sweetener for any investor be the local or international market is prudence.”
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He noted that the economy is still recovering from a period of overheating and emphasised the importance of careful fiscal management during this stabilisation phase.
“Having come from the heels of an overheated economy where we are yet to even cool off yet before we could turn a corner and we are at the stabilisation stages or cooling off stages, prudence is the watch word and that is exactly what he is doing,” Prof. Khalid added.
Source: CNR
