The Member of Parliament (MP) for Tano North, Dr Gideon Boako, has raised serious concerns about the 2026 budget, warning that several unresolved issues threaten the country’s economic direction.
Contributing to the debate in Parliament, he stated that while the document outlines plans for growth, “there are many grey areas that need to be looked at properly” before the budget can deliver sustainable outcomes.
Dr. Boako argued that some of the measures proposed in the budget may not yield the intended results, particularly in the area of tax administration.
He said the introduction of artificial intelligence at the ports, though innovative in appearance, risks becoming another loophole for corruption if not carefully monitored.
“We must ensure that the deployment of this AI technology does not become a profiteering opportunity for nation wreckers,” he cautioned.
The MP also criticised the Finance Minister for adopting a posture that mocked previous administrations for missing targets, only to miss several macro-fiscal targets himself within a year.
“Barely one year down the line, how does Minister Ato Forson feel when he has also significantly missed most of his macro-fiscal targets?” he asked, adding that nearly 50 percent of projections in the 2025 Budget were not achieved.
According to Dr. Boako, even the targets the government claims to have met suffer from weak foundations.
He noted inconsistencies in the inflation strategy and questioned whether the tools deployed to achieve single-digit inflation were sustainable.
“There are questions on the foundations deployed to achieve those targets,” he stressed.
He urged the government to thoroughly re-examine the structural and policy gaps in the budget.
“If these grey areas are not addressed properly, the budget will struggle to deliver real economic gains,” he warned.