Takoradi MP Slams 2026 Mid-Year Budget as “Unambitious” and Lazy on Revenue Mobilisation

Member of Parliament for Takoradi Constituency, Hon. Kwabena Okyere Darko-Mensah, has described the 2026 Mid-Year Budget Review as unambitious, accusing government of failing to meet both revenue and expenditure targets.

Contributing to the budget debate in Parliament following the presentation by Finance Minister Dr. Cassiel Ato Forson, the MP said the figures on Page 90 of the budget show clear underperformance.

“If you take Page 90 of the Budget, clearly you see that the Budget implementation has been very unambitious,” he stated.

*Revenue and Expenditure Shortfalls*

Hon. Darko-Mensah noted that government missed its revenue targets for the first six months of the year. He also said total expenditure fell short of projections.

“If you take Expenditure, total expenditure on page 90, the government couldn't meet its targets which shows that the government has been too lazy in Revenue Mobilisation,” he said.

He cited capital expenditure as an example, saying government programmed GH¢13 billion but had only spent GH¢5 billion.

“This shows that the government is not spending,” he added.

*“Misleading Numbers” and Stalled Projects*

The Takoradi MP further accused government of using figures on Pages 81 and 82 to deceive Ghanaians.

“If you look at the itinerary of numbers on page 82 and 81, where the government runs a lot of numbers, it is only to deceive or mislead Ghanaians,” he said.

He linked the under-spending to stalled projects, mentioning the Takoradi Market Circle, some railway lines in Takoradi, and Agenda 111 projects that are yet to be operationalized.

“That is why projects like the Takoradi Market Circle are not being completed, that is why the Railway Lines in Takoradi, some Agenda 111 Projects are not being operationalized, because the government has been unambitious in spending,” he said.

*“Budgets Are About Spending”*

Hon. Darko-Mensah argued that budgets are meant to facilitate spending, not just fiscal discipline.

*“Budgets are supposed to allow government to spend. Budgets are not about discipline but about spending to meet the targets we have been given to work with,”* he said.