Policy & Programme Failures of John Mahama’s 2025 Budget

The Ministry of Finance, Hon. Cassiel Ato Forson on 11th March, 2025, presented a 2025 Budget on behalf of President John Mahama in alignment with Article 179 of the 1992 Constitution of the Republic of Ghana, and it is important that as citizens we evaluate the content of budget against the prevailing performance of the government.

We are in September, and hopefully in November the 2026 Budget will be presented to Parliament in fulfillment of Article 179 of the 1992 Constitution.

However, below are some of the failures of President John Mahama’s government in relation to the implementation of the 2025 Budget:

1. FAILED to “Resetting the Economy for the Ghana we want”, as captured under Section 19(page 5&6 of 2025 Budget Speech).

Majority of Ghanaians are still not impressed with the management of the exchange rate, security, and galamsey activities recklessly ongoing across the Country.

2. FAILED to address the government arrears/payables captured under Section 56(page 13 of 2025 Budget Speech) such as:
   (a). $1.73 billion owed to Independent Power Producers.
   (b). GHS 68 billion owed by the Electricity. Company of Ghana
   (c). GHS 32 billion owed by the Ghana Cocoa Board.
   (d) GHS 5.75 billion owed by Road Fund.

Ghanaians want to know if Mahama’s government has been able to pay the aforementioned debts or increased the aforementioned debts within 9 months in government?

3. FAILED to achieve anchors of the resetting agenda captured under Section 120(page 28 of 2025 Budget Speech) especially the massive failure to implement:
   (a). “Restoring hope in our democracy, renewing trust in public officials, and helping every Ghanaian attain full potential”.

How can every Ghanaian attain full potential when John Mahama’s government deliberately sacked some public sector workers who were duly employed under the previous government?

(b). “Stimulating demand by patronizing made-in-Ghana goods under the 24-hour Economy Policy.”

9 months in government yet the NDC has FAILED to implement the 24-hour Economy Policy.

4. FAILED to achieve or even get closer to achieving the macroeconomic targets captured under Section 130(page 32 of 2025 Budget Speech) as follows:
   (a). Overall Real GDP growth of at least 4.0 percent.

(b). Non-Oil Real GDP growth of at least 4.8 percent.

(c). Primary balance on commitment basis at a surplus of 1.5 percent of GDP.

(d). Gross International Reserves(including oil funds and encumbered/pledged assets) to cover not less than 3 months of imports.

5. FAILED to abolish the COVID-19 levy, as captured under Section 172(page 48 of 2025 Budget Speech).
6. FAILED to implement 24-hour Economy, as captured under Section 191(page 54 of 2025 Budget Speech).
7. FAILED to implement the $10 billion “BIG PUSH Policy, as captured under Section 191(page 54 of 2025 Budget Speech).
8. FAILED to “implement an Economic Transformation Agenda underpinned by structural reforms anchored on promoting modernized agriculture Agro-business, and value addition for import substitution, exports and job creation”, as captured under page 55 of the 2025 Budget Speech.
9. FAILED to stay within the budget of providing a Cedi equivalent of $279 million as a revolving fund for the Ghana Gold Board(GOLDBOD), as captured under Section 194(page 57 of 2025 Budget Speech).
   Mahama’s government has exceeded the budgetary allocation of $279 million to the GoldBod.
10. FAILED to allocate the GHS 13.85 billion for the Big Push Programme, as captured under Section 195(page 57 of 2025 Budget Speech).
11. FAILED to fully achieve the establishment of the Women’s Development Bank, as captured under Section 217(page 63 of 2025 Budget Speech).
12. FAILED to fully roll out the National Apprenticeship Programme, as captured under Section 218(page 63 of 2025 Budget Speech).
13. FAILED to fully roll out of the ‘Adwumawura’ Programme, as captured under Section 219(page 63 of 2025 Budget Speech).
14. FAILED to fully roll out of the National Coders Programme, as captured under Section 220(page 63 of 2025 Budget Speech).
15. FAILED to fully roll out the “Nkokor Nketenkete” component of the Economic Transformation Agenda(AETA) across the country , as captured under Section 216(page 62 of 2025 Budget Speech).
16. FAILED to fully roll out the “Feed Ghana Programme” component of the Economic Transformation Agenda(AETA), as captured under Section 216(page 62 of 2025 Budget Speech).
17. FAILED to fully roll out the “Ghana Grains Development Project” component of the Economic Transformation Agenda(AETA), as captured under Section 216(page 62 of 2025 Budget Speech).
18. FAILED to fully roll out the “Vegetable Development Project” component of the Economic Transformation Agenda(AETA), as captured under Section 216(page 62 of 2025 Budget Speech).
19. FAILED to implement the proposal of sending a minimum of 80% of funds directly to the District Assemblies to spur economic growth at the district level and deepen decentralization, as captured under Section 214(page 62 of 2025 Budget Speech).
20. FAILED to increase the number of LEAP beneficiaries from 350,000 to 400,000, as promised under Section 210(page 61 of 2025 Budget Speech).

Let me also state that, an audit of the 2025 Budget Statement and Economic Policy of Mahama’s government shows that, the government has been able to achieve only 28-30% of the policies and programmes as outlined in the 2025 Budget.

There are other several policies and programmes in the 2025 Budget Statement and Economic Policy that the government has FAILED to deliver but not listed in this Article.

…. Signed….
Razak Kojo Opoku
Founding President of UP Tradition Institute