2026 Budget: Ato Forson outlines key expenditure measures
Finance Minister Dr. Cassiel Ato Forson has outlined major expenditure measures aimed at strengthening fiscal discipline, promoting efficiency, and supporting economic growth in the 2026 financial year.
Presenting the 2026 Budget Statement to Parliament on Thursday, November 13, Dr. Forson said government will continue to rationalise spending by eliminating low-value programmes and streamlining earmarked funds to create fiscal space for critical sectors such as roads, energy, and education.
“Every cedi saved will be redirected to projects that create jobs and deliver tangible benefits to Ghanaians,” he said.
Dr. Forson emphasized that the 2026 expenditure strategy is anchored on fiscal sustainability, ensuring that public funds are used efficiently while supporting growth and social welfare programmes.
Key expenditure measures for the 2026 fiscal year include:
-Containing recurrent spending by capping non-essential expenditures such as foreign travel, workshops, and vehicle procurements, and eliminating low-impact programmes;
-Rationalising earmarked funds towards high-impact and job-creating projects in roads, energy, agriculture, and education;
-Reinforcing the commitment authorization process to prevent the initiation of new projects without budgetary approval, thereby reducing arrears and enhancing accountability across all Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs);
-Strengthening social protection programmes such as the Livelihood Empowerment Against Poverty (LEAP), National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS), School Feeding, and Free Senior High School initiatives; and
Prioritising capital investments in infrastructure and growth-enabling sectors, particularly through the Big Push and 24-Hour Economy Programmes, designed to expand productive capacity and create jobs for the youth.
The Finance Minister also announced several operational and structural reforms to enhance expenditure control and value for money. These include the full roll-out of the Ghana Electronic Procurement System (GHANEPS) integrated with the Ghana Integrated Financial Management Information System (GIFMIS), and the enforcement of sanctions under the Public Financial Management (PFM) Act for breaches related to arrears and commitment controls.
He said the payroll validation exercise being undertaken by the Ministry of Finance, the Controller and Accountant-General’s Department, the Ghana Audit Service, and the Public Services Commission will be sustained to eliminate ghost names and ensure that only legitimate employees remain on the public payroll.
Additionally, government will undertake a comprehensive review and audit of the budget preparation and implementation process to enhance transparency, prevent arrears accumulation, and ensure value for money.
Dr. Forson said government will also implement recommendations from the arrears and commitments audit conducted by the Ghana Audit Service in collaboration with EY and PwC, and institutionalize quarterly expenditure reviews and real-time audit monitoring to improve efficiency.
He reaffirmed government’s commitment to fiscal responsibility, stating that, “These measures will ensure that Ghana lives within its means, mobilizes revenues fairly, and spends efficiently.”
“Fiscal discipline is not an end in itself,” Dr. Forson concluded. “It is the bridge between stability and progress, between policy promises and real improvement in the lives of Ghanaians.”