‘Ghanaians can breathe again’ – Ato Forson says economic confidence has returned

Finance Minister Dr Cassiel Ato Forson announced that Ghana has regained economic stability and public confidence, providing citizens with much-needed relief from recent economic challenges. During a presentation of the 2027 Budget Statement and Economic Policy to Parliament on November 12, 2026, Dr Forson emphasized that this milestone marks a significant step in the country's economic recovery.

However, he cautioned that Ghana must not squander this opportunity by returning to the same cycles of economic expansion and instability that have plagued its development in the past.

Dr Forson stated that the return of stability and confidence allows Ghanaians to "breathe again," but he urged the nation to utilize this breathing space to build a more productive economy that generates jobs, improves living standards, and promotes long-term prosperity. He highlighted the importance of addressing the concerns of various groups, including young graduates seeking employment, farmers in need of reliable markets, traders facing weakened working capital due to inflation, pensioners affected by the debt restructuring program, and entrepreneurs struggling to access affordable long-term financing.

The Finance Minister stressed that the success of the recovery should be measured by improvements in people's everyday lives rather than solely by economic indicators. He pointed out that Ghana has experienced repeated periods of economic progress followed by instability, disrupting businesses, households, and livelihoods. Dr Forson emphasized the need to break the cycle of "hope, hardships, growth, instability, fiscal expansion, painful correction, stable currency, sharp depreciation, new opportunities, and job losses."

Dr Forson described the 2027 Budget as a crucial step towards transitioning Ghana from economic stabilization to a growth strategy centered on increased production, industrialization, private-sector development, and job creation. He also referenced the vision of Ghana's first President, Dr Kwame Nkrumah, who believed that political independence should be accompanied by economic freedom.

Dr Forson recalled Nkrumah's understanding that "political freedom required economic emancipation," and he called on the nation to build upon this legacy to ensure a prosperous future for its citizens.