The Centre for Policy Scrutiny (CPS) has raised concerns over what it describes as inconsistencies in figures contained in the government’s 2026 Mid-Year Budget Review, warning that the discrepancies undermine confidence in the fiscal data used to shape economic policy.
The Minister of Finance, Dr Cassiel Ato Forson on Thursday, July 23, 2026, presented the Mid-Year Budget Review in Parliament, where he highlighted what he describes as significant macroeconomic gains achieved by the government, saying the country has surpassed key economic targets set for the first half of 2026.
He explained that Ghana’s economic indicators have shown strong improvement across several key areas, including economic growth, inflation reduction, fiscal management and the strengthening of the country’s foreign exchange reserves.
However, the CPS, in its assessment of the budget review presented on Tuesday, July 28, the think tank said different sections of the government’s own document reported conflicting expenditure and capital spending figures without explanation.
According to the Centre, the inconsistencies raise questions about the credibility of the budget, given that fiscal data forms the basis for government planning and policy decisions.
Dr. Adu Owusu Sarkodie, Executive Director of the Centre for Policy Scrutiny, said the discrepancies should be addressed to improve transparency and public confidence in the country’s fiscal reporting.
“The mid-year budget presentation was characterised by data inconsistencies. For instance, the total expenditure as stated on page 25 indicated an amount of GH¢129.2 billion against a target of GH¢158.6 billion. Meanwhile, on page 26, the figure changes to GH¢136.9 billion against a target of GH¢172.5 billion.”
He further pointed to inconsistencies in the reported capital expenditure figures.
“Similarly, the capital expenditure estimates on page 25 stated GH¢21.7 billion actuals against GH¢36.6 billion. But on page 26, the actual H1 2026 CAPEX changes to GH¢22.2 billion. These developments raise serious concerns about the credibility of the data, and to a large extent the entire budget, since the fiscal figures are the foundation upon which government policies are formulated.”
The Centre urged the Ministry of Finance to strengthen fiscal transparency by ensuring consistency in official budget documents and publishing more detailed budget execution data across ministries, departments, and agencies.
It recommended that future budget statements and mid-year reviews include comparisons between approved budgets and actual expenditure at the programme level to facilitate independent scrutiny and improve accountability.
The concerns form part of the Centre’s broader review of the 2026 Mid-Year Budget, which also concluded that stronger-than-expected fiscal performance was achieved largely through lower-than-planned expenditure, leaving significant programme allocations unfulfilled.
