Ghana’s Finance Minister, Dr Cassiel Ato Forson, will present the 2027 Budget Statement and Economic Policy to Parliament at 6pm tonight, Thursday 12 November, under the theme “The New Economy”. The centrepiece is a four-year, US$10 billion programme running from 2027 to 2030, aimed at agriculture, manufacturing, agro-processing and infrastructure, the Accra Street Journal reported.

Speaker of Parliament Alban Bagbin approved the evening slot after a request from the Finance Minister, moving the presentation from its traditional morning time. The House is expected to begin proceedings at about 6pm so members are prepared for the speech.

How the $10bn plan will be funded

Dr Forson has said the programme will be financed without additional borrowing, using domestic resources. Speaking to manufacturers in Kumasi ahead of the budget, he explained that the government plans to spend about 1.5% of GDP a year on the initiative, funded by revenue worth 0.5% of GDP and by reducing the primary surplus target from 1.5% to 0.5% of GDP. He described the US$10 billion figure as a conservative estimate, saying the total could eventually reach at least US$13 billion.

Ghana recorded a primary surplus of 2.5% of GDP in 2025, which the minister said allowed the country to pay down debt, and a further surplus of 1.5% is expected in 2026. The government says it will keep the public debt ceiling at 45% of GDP. President John Dramani Mahama has separately said the New Economy plan would invest more than US$9 billion in job-creating sectors over the same period, and a think tank has called for a detailed breakdown in the budget itself.

No new taxes, government says

The government has also said the 2027 Budget will introduce no new taxes. Deputy Finance Minister Thomas Nyarko Ampem told the parliamentary press corps that the government would instead rely on savings from spending cuts and expenditure rationalisation to fund its flagship programmes. The budget is also expected to set out how petroleum revenue will be used in the coming years, including financing the proposed Accra-Kumasi Expressway.

The medium-term framework behind the budget targets real GDP growth of at least 6.0%, inflation within 7% plus or minus 2%, and a primary surplus of 0.5% of GDP, according to the Finance Ministry’s budget preparation guidelines.

Opposition doubts

Not everyone is convinced. The parliamentary minority has questioned whether the government’s 2026 promises were delivered, and Dr Mohammed Amin Adam, the ranking member on Parliament’s Finance Committee, has warned that the New Economy programme lacks a credible funding source and has urged Ghanaians to demand answers on how the US$10 billion will be financed.

Tonight’s speech will be the test. For traders, manufacturers and households watching from Accra to Kumasi, the question is whether the “New Economy” brings detailed plans and costings — or another round of promises.