Minority Leader Dr. Cassiel Ato Forson has criticized the 2024 Mid-Year Budget Review, declaring that Ghana’s economy is on autopilot under the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP).

His comments came after Finance Minister Dr. Mohammed Amin Adam presented the budget review on Tuesday, July 23, highlighting the government's efforts to reverse negative economic trends and control expenditures.

Dr. Ato Forson expressed his disappointment, stating that the budget review reflects the NPP's impending transition to the opposition.

Despite the Finance Minister reporting a provisional total debt of GH¢742 billion (US$50.9 billion) as of June, representing 70.6% of GDP, and assuring that the government is living within its budget, Dr. Ato Forson criticized the review for failing to address key issues.

He condemned the government's refusal to abolish certain taxes, such as the COVID levy, E-levy, and emission levy, which he believes have contributed to Ghana’s high tax regime and driven businesses and citizens out of the country.

Dr. Ato Forson described the review as a “missed opportunity” lacking new policies and ideas, referencing the majority caucus’s jubilant song "Abamu awie" by asserting that they are "on their way to opposition."

"At the very least, Ghanaians expected that this mid-year review would have removed or abolished a number of taxes that have made Ghana a high tax regime to the extent that businesses are moving out of the country and ordinary Ghanaians are leaving the shores of this country. For example, the COVID levy, E-levy, ‘Borla’ tax, tax on domestic electricity, and emission levy," he stated.

"Mr. Speaker, this is a missed opportunity. Mr. Speaker, instead, the minister did not announce one single new policy. The minister did not introduce new ideas. Mr. Speaker, unfortunately, Ghana is on autopilot, and our economy is on autopilot. All I want to tell them is that they are bereft of new ideas, and I’m happy that they sang ‘abamu awie’; you are on your way to opposition," Dr. Ato Forson concluded.