Finance Minister, Dr Cassiel Ato Forson, has said the government will focus its spending on creating jobs, increasing local production and reducing Ghana's dependence on imports as the country recovers from its economic crisis.

Presenting the 2027 Budget Statement and Economic Policy in Parliament on Thursday, November 12, 2026, the minister said the government must ensure that every cedi spent contributes to improving the lives of Ghanaians.

He explained that the country's economic recovery had created room for the government to invest in productive sectors rather than spending on projects that offer little economic benefit.

“Every cedi of that space must answer a national question: What jobs will it create? What import will it replace? What export will it generate? And what lasting value will it leave behind? Our economic programme, the New Economy, provides that answer,” he said.

Dr Ato Forson noted that Ghana had previously recovered from economic difficulties but failed to use the opportunity to transform the economy.

He explained that once economic pressures eased, government resources were often spread across several projects without proper assessment of their economic benefits.

“Once the immediate pressures eased, scarce resources were spread thinly across competing demands. Projects multiplied without rigorous appraisal, and short-term consumption crowded out investment in productive capacity,” he stated.

The minister said the government's New Economy Programme seeks to address these challenges by directing resources towards local production, employment and economic growth.

He also acknowledged the difficulties households experienced during the economic crisis, saying the recovery must translate into jobs, higher incomes and better opportunities for Ghanaians.

Dr Ato Forson further disclosed that Ghana's gross international reserves had increased to the equivalent of 5.7 months of import cover.

According to him, the improvement gives businesses and households greater certainty and allows the country to plan beyond its immediate economic challenges.

Parliament is expected to begin debating the 2027 Budget in the coming days, ahead of the passage of the Appropriation Bill.

DR/MA