The Finance Minister has assured that the government will act on key recommendations from the National Economic Dialogue, describing the final communique as his “Bible” for shaping the 2025 budget and economic reforms.
Speaking at the closing session, Dr. Cassiel Ato Forson emphasized the strong alignment between the discussions and his initial presentation, underscoring a shared understanding of the country’s economic challenges.
“Most of the presentations actually feed into the first presentation I made. It clearly shows the connections and understanding that together, we recognize the situation and the problems of this country. What is left is the resolve to come together and fix it,” he stated.
He acknowledged that while identifying solutions is crucial, implementation remains the biggest challenge, adding that successful execution depends on public support.
“Implementation is the challenge; we can only implement as a government if we get the buy-in of the citizens,” he said.
Dr. Forson announced that the 2025 Budget Statement and Economic Policy will be presented on March 11, incorporating many of the concerns raised during the dialogue.
“Most of the concerns you’ve raised, you’ll begin to see them in the budget,” he assured participants.
However, he urged stakeholders to support the government in engaging the public on the need for economic reforms.
“We call on you to support the government in educating the public, for the public to understand that the time has come for us to reset and reform the economy. We’ve got to do this together.”
Reflecting on the discussions, he stressed the interconnectedness of various sectors and the urgent need for comprehensive reforms.
“What struck me the most, particularly sitting there quietly, is the interconnectedness between the macro group, the private sector, infrastructure, and even governance and corruption sub-sectors. There is a need for major reforms.”
Reaffirming his commitment to action, the minister stressed that Ghana already understands its economic challenges and the necessary solutions—what remains is their implementation.
“The solution is there. We know the problems, we know what we have to do to resolve them. Let’s start the implementation.
“So I will wait for the communique, and I can use the communique as my Bible in preparing the budget, making recommendations to Cabinet for adoption and approval.”
With the budget announcement just days away, attention will now be on how these commitments translate into tangible policies to stabilize and transform the economy.