Account for GH¢650bn allocated to existing programmes before new economy – Oppong Nkrumah to gov’t

Economic affairs committee member Kojo Oppong Nkrumah has called on the government to account for the funds allocated to existing economic programs before introducing a proposed "new economy" in the 2027 Budget. He highlighted that Parliament had allocated approximately GH¢650 billion to support various government initiatives, including the 24-hour economy, the One Million Coders program, the Women's Development Bank, and Nkokonkitinkiti, among others.

Nkrumah stressed that the government must demonstrate the outcomes achieved from these programs before reallocating resources to a new economic agenda.

In an interview on JoyNews' The Pulse, Nkrumah emphasized that these economic programs were commitments made to Ghanaians and demanded accountability. He pointed out that the 24-hour economy, which promised to generate a job through three shifts involving three individuals, had not yielded the expected results. Nkrumah questioned the progress made in implementing this policy, asserting that there was no evidence of the promised system in action.

Similarly, he expressed concerns over the One Million Coders program, the Women's Development Bank, and other initiatives, arguing that the government had failed to provide sufficient evidence of the achievements related to these programs. Nkrumah cautioned against shifting focus towards a new economic plan without first accounting for the commitments and resources already promised to the public.

He urged the government to ensure that the results of existing programs are made known before moving forward with a new economic initiative.