Ghana’s 2027 Budget and the BRICS Question: A strategy without a policy is only a wish

Dr John Enyonam Kpikpi, the Progressive Alliance for Ghana flagbearer, has cast doubt on the ability of the country's two main political parties, the National Democratic Congress (NDC) and the New Patriotic Party (NPP), to successfully transform Ghana’s economy. Kpikpi criticized both parties for their inability to establish a solid economic foundation over their nearly three decades of control.

He argued that the current economic agenda, unveiled in the 2027 Budget and Economic Policy by Finance Minister Dr Cassiel Ato Forson, should garner skepticism because both parties have failed to create a comprehensive national strategy for issues like food self-sufficiency and mineral value addition. Kpikpi pointed to the guinea fowl initiative and Nkitinkitin programme as examples of previous inadequate agricultural policies.

He also questioned the government's renewed push for mineral value addition, particularly in the context of concerns over Ghana's lithium resources. Kpikpi accused previous administrations of dismissing demands for stronger lithium agreements that would have ensured better local participation, processing, and wealth retention. He expressed skepticism about the government’s recent interest in mineral value addition, suggesting that it came too soon after earlier rejections of more favorable proposals.

Kpikpi maintained that these parties' past actions demonstrate a lack of commitment to genuine economic transformation. He called for a new generation of political leaders who could break away from the entrenched practices of the traditional political establishment and prioritize the needs of the Ghanaian people.