BudgIT Ghana has called on the government to ensure that the 2027 Budget Statement and Economic Policy prioritises productive investment, inclusive economic opportunities and effective public service delivery, backed by transparent expenditure and measurable outcomes.
The organisation said the budget must move beyond policy promises to establish clear spending priorities, credible financing arrangements and accountability mechanisms that respond to the economic realities of Ghanaians.
In a statement ahead of the presentation of the 2027 Budget, BudgIT Ghana said the government’s fiscal decisions would have significant implications for the country’s productive capacity, employment prospects, food security and the quality of essential public services.
It stressed that public resources must be directed towards investments with demonstrable economic and social returns and that their utilisation must be transparent and subject to effective oversight.
As part of its recommendations, BudgIT Ghana called for greater transparency in the implementation of the government’s Big Push infrastructure programme, including the publication of comprehensive project-level information on the Ghana Electronic Procurement System (GHANEPS).
It said such disclosures should cover funding sources, disbursements, project locations, contract values, contractors, procurement arrangements, implementation timelines and project status.
The organisation argued that citizens and oversight institutions must be able to establish what government has committed to build, what has been completed, the cost involved and the benefits delivered to affected communities.
On women’s economic empowerment, BudgIT Ghana urged the government to provide clarity on the capitalisation, governance and operational arrangements of the proposed Women’s Development Bank.
It said the initiative must offer affordable credit alongside business development support and financial literacy programmes to help women-led enterprises grow sustainably.
According to the organisation, the bank’s success should be measured by the accessibility of its financing, the businesses it supports and the economic opportunities it creates, rather than merely its establishment as an institution.
On agriculture, BudgIT Ghana called for increased investment in irrigation infrastructure, water management, climate-resilient seeds, extension services and post-harvest storage to strengthen food security.
It said anticipated El Niño conditions into early 2027 could disrupt rainfall patterns and expose farmers and food systems to heightened risks, making agricultural preparedness a priority.
The organisation maintained that food security must be an explicit and measurable objective of national budgetary planning, with clearly defined targets for improving productivity, reducing post-harvest losses and sustaining domestic food supplies.
It also urged the government to strengthen employment programmes, including Adwumawura, the National Apprenticeship Programme and the One Million Coders Programme, by establishing clear pathways from skills development to decent and sustainable work.
BudgIT Ghana said the effectiveness of these initiatives should not be assessed solely through enrolment figures and training outputs but also through participants’ transition into employment, enterprise development and sustained economic activity.
It called for stronger coordination between the programmes and private-sector labour market requirements to ensure that young people acquire skills that translate into productive and remunerative employment.
The organisation further urged the government to ensure that healthcare and education allocations address frontline service-delivery gaps, particularly in underserved communities where shortages of facilities, personnel and essential resources continue to constrain access to quality services.
It said the impact of public investment in the sectors should ultimately be measured by the quality of education received by learners and the quality of healthcare accessible to patients.
On the proposed 24-Hour Economy and Market Development programme, BudgIT Ghana recommended a comprehensive needs assessment to guide implementation.
It said the assessment should consider local economic conditions, market infrastructure, business capacity, security, transportation, energy access and the needs of traders, producers and workers.
The organisation argued that programme priorities should reflect community-specific needs rather than adopt a uniform implementation approach that might not adequately address local circumstances.
Speaking ahead of the budget presentation, the Country Manager of BudgIT Ghana, Jennifer A. Moffatt, said the credibility of the national budget depended on how effectively its commitments were implemented.
“A national budget is a statement of priorities, but its credibility is established through execution. Ghanaians must be able to see how commitments to infrastructure, agriculture, women’s economic empowerment and employment are financed, implemented and translated into tangible outcomes.”
“We cannot continue to assess public investment solely by what is announced or allocated. We must be able to follow the resources, scrutinise the decisions and establish what has actually been delivered. Public money demands public accountability, and that accountability must be built into every stage of the budget process,” she said.
BudgIT Ghana called on the Ministry of Finance, relevant sector ministries, implementing agencies and Parliament to ensure that the 2027 Budget is supported by credible financing arrangements, transparent implementation processes and enforceable accountability mechanisms.
It also urged government to publish budget information in accessible formats to enable citizens to understand public spending decisions and monitor commitments made on their behalf.
The organisation said it would continue to use its research, advocacy and civic technology platforms to promote citizen participation, strengthen public oversight and track government commitments from budget allocation to implementation.
It maintained that the ultimate test of the 2027 Budget would be the public value it delivers rather than the promises it contains, stressing that every allocation must have a purpose, every commitment must be traceable and every cedi must be accounted for.
