Members of Parliament (MPs) are expected to reconvene in October, following their recess for the Second Meeting of the First Session of the Ninth Parliament of the Fourth Republic.

This information was made known by the First Deputy Speaker, Honourable Bernard Ahiafor, on Friday, July 31. The legislators on Tuesday, May 17, began their official work following a recess for Easter celebrations last year.

Parliament, from May to August this year, convened a total of 43 sittings; during this period, the legislative body passed several key bills, endorsed certain proposals, and debated several matters of national importance.

Just a few days ago, Parliament wrapped up its debate on the Mid-Year Review Budget Statement and Economic Policy of the Government of Ghana for the 2025 financial year, which was presented by Finance Minister Dr Cassiel Ato Forson.

In the course of the debate, the Deputy Majority Leader and Member of Parliament (MP) for Cape Coast South, George Kweku Ricketts-Hagan, acknowledged the government's efforts while describing the budget's content as commendable.

According to him, Ghana now fully controls its gold resources. This, he described as a major and transformative achievement for the country.

In his submission on the floor of the House, Minority Leader Alexander Afenyo-Markin contested the government’s celebratory claims regarding the performance of the local currency. He added that “2022 was a storm for the cedi, but I dare argue, despite all of this, the NPP government stabilized the cedi in 2023.”

Also from the Minority side, Hon. Michael Kwesi Aidoo, Member of Parliament for Oforikrom, criticised the incumbent government for failing to address the real concerns of Ghanaians despite its claims of restoring the value of the cedi.

He stressed, “Whenever you say anything about the issues of the economy, our colleagues will refer you to the dollar, that the dollar has reduced. Mr. Speaker, as I speak to you today, it has not reflected in our pockets.” To him, the Mid-Year Budget Review had nothing new except repetition of words.

Also from the Minority Caucus, Member of Parliament for Takoradi, Kwabena Okyere Darko-Mensah, pushed back against the government’s assertion that its homegrown policies are fueling economic growth.

He argued that the previous New Patriotic Party (NPP) administration's policies have driven growth in agriculture and fisheries, hence boosting Gross Domestic Product (GDP).

On Thursday, July 24, Finance Minister Dr. Cassiel Ato Forson delivered to Parliament the 2025 Mid-Year Budget Review. This was in accordance with Section 28 of the Public Financial Management Act, 2016 (Act 921), to inform the country on its economic performance and fiscal strategy halfway through the year.

In his delivery, the sector minister noted that in less than 200 days the incumbent government has brought back clarity, certainty, stability, and purpose to the country's economic policy direction. Dr. Cassiel Ato Forson revealed that in the first six months of the year, the government’s expenditure stood at GH¢109.7 billion, equivalent to 7.8% of the GDP.

He noted that the current expenditure was 14.3% below the programmed amount of GH¢128.0 billion, equivalent to 9.1% of GDP. According to the sector minister, this reflects the government’s strong expenditure control.

During the presentation of the 2025 budget statement, the minister noted that total expenditures (commitment) for 2025 have been programmed at GH¢270.9 billion, down from GH¢279.2 billion in 2024.

Primary expenditure on a commitment basis (expenditures net of interest payments) is projected at GH¢206.8 billion in 2025 (14.8% of GDP), presenting a significant decline from 19.8% of GDP in 2024 and lower than the 2023 level of 15.6% of GDP.

Providing a breakdown of the total expenditure in six months, the minister said that primary expenditure, or non-interest expenditures on a commitment basis, amounted to GH¢84.3 billion, or 6.0% of GDP. This is an improvement of about GH¢13.3 billion over the target of GH¢97.5 billion, which is 7.0% of GDP.

The Finance Minister noted that although Ghana is relying on the domestic market for financing, “We have borrowed less than we planned, signifying strong expenditure control and fiscal discipline.”

Presently, the government is revising both revenue and expenditure projections to reflect the impact of the additional revenue from the Energy Sector Levies (Amendment) Act, 2025 (Act 1141).

Total expenditure on a commitment basis has been revised downward to GH¢269.5 billion from the original budget projection of GH¢270.9 billion. However, primary expenditure has been revised upwards to GH¢209.6 billion from the original budget projection of GH¢206.8 billion.

Total revenue and grants have been revised upwards from the 2025 budget target of GH¢227.1 billion to GH¢229.9 billion, or from 16.2% of GDP to 16.4% of GDP, representing a nominal increase of 1.3%. “The additional revenue of GH¢2.9 billion will come from the increase in revenues from the amendment to the Energy Sector Levies Act,” the minister added.

Interest payments have been revised downwards by GH¢4.3 billion, from the original budget projection of GH¢64.1 billion to GH¢59.9 billion. Domestic interest, on the other hand, has been revised downward by GH¢5.1 billion, mainly on account of gains from the reduction in the treasury bill rates as a result of the implementation of our prudent debt management policies.

However, external interest payments have been revised upward by GH¢795 million to make additional provision for debt service due on post cut-off date disbursements made by our bilateral creditors since 2023. Energy sector payments have also been revised upwards by GH¢2.9 billion to provision for fuel purchases for power generation.In June, Parliament gave the nod to the reinstatement of July 1 as a statutory public holiday following the amendment of the Public Holidays and Commemorative Days (Amendment) Bill, 2025, which amends Act 601.

The amended Act grants an additional holiday for the Muslim community, Shaqq Day, a statutory public holiday to be observed the day after Eid-ul-Fitr. In the same vein, August 4 has been removed from the list of public holidays as Founders' Day, and instead, September 21 will now be observed as Founder's Day.

In the same period, Parliament vetted and approved seven (7) justices of the Supreme Court nominated by President John Dramani Mahama.

Parliament prior to its recent recess passed the following bills: the Fisheries and Aquaculture Bill 2025, the University for Development Studies Bill 2025, the Ghana Medical Trust Fund Bill 2025, also known as MahamaCares, and the Social Protection Bill 2025.

The first two bills were approved by the House on July 19. Minister for Fisheries and Aquaculture Hon. Emelia Arthur was present in Parliament for the approval of the Fisheries and Aquaculture Bill 2025.

The sector minister revealed to the House that the bill has been revised to reflect Ghana’s commitment to the Blue Economy agenda by harnessing marine and aquatic resources sustainably to support economic growth, social inclusion, food security, and environmental protection.

Chairman of the Parliamentary Select Committee on Food, Agriculture, and Cocoa Affairs, Hon. Jasaw Seidu Godfred, while presenting the committee’s report, noted that the sustainable management, utilization, and exploitation of the fisheries and aquaculture resources require the existence of a robust legal framework that governs fishing activities, regulates resource extraction, and ensures compliance with international and national environmental standards.

He indicated that the fisheries and aquaculture sectors contribute significantly to national development in areas such as job and wealth creation, poverty reduction, gross domestic product contribution, and foreign exchange.

Minister of Education, Honourable Haruna Iddrisu, also appeared before Parliament for the approval of the University for Development Studies Bill 2025. Explaining the purpose of the bill to the House, Honourable Haruna Iddrisu noted that the bill seeks to establish the University for Development Studies (UDS) through the re-enactment of P.N.D.C.L. 279.

This, he said, will help to restructure and empower the University for Development Studies to provide quality and higher education to meet the diverse and developmental needs of the country.

On his part, Chairman of the Education Select Committee of Parliament, Honorable Peter Nortsu-Kotoe, acknowledged the significant structural changes that have taken place since the establishment of the UDS over the past 32 years of its existence.

He highlighted the need to review P.N.D.C.L. 279 to bring the law into conformity with current policy and best practices adopted in public universities in Ghana to enhance the effectiveness of tertiary institutions in achieving their mandate.

The Ghana Medical Trust Fund Bill, 2025, also known as MahamaCares, which was laid before Parliament on Monday, July 21 and subsequently approved, was opposed by the Minority. The caucus warned that it could put a strain on the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) budget and its operations.

The Mahama Cares fund is expected to play a pivotal role in enhancing healthcare access for many Ghanaians, particularly those battling chronic diseases and unable to afford the necessary medical treatment. The Bill seeks to end favoritism in awarding scholarships, ensuring allocations are based on merit and need.

The Social Protection Bill 2025 will provide a legal framework for social protection programmes that will enhance accessibility and equity in the delivery of social services to the impoverished communities.

“This bill will give legal backing and strengthen regulations of many social intervention initiatives in the country,” the Minister for Gender, Children, and Social Protection, Agnes Naa Momo Lartey, said on the floor of Parliament on Thursday, July 31.

The Bill was passed after it faced strong opposition from the Minority in Parliament on Wednesday, July 30, who claimed that the proceedings lacked the required quorum. However, it has paved the way to set up the Social Protection Fund aimed at providing financial resources to tackle emergencies and the mobilisation of funds for social protection delivery.

The programmes include the Livelihood Empowerment Against Poverty (LEAP), the Ghana School Feeding Programme, Basic Education Capitation Grants, and the National Health Insurance Exemption, among others.

Parliament, however, halted the consideration of the Ghana Scholarships Authority Bill, 2025, to allow for further consultations with stakeholders.

Meanwhile, Parliament is set to introduce the Ghana Investment Promotion Authority (GIPA) Bill, which aims to amend the Ghana Investment Promotion Centre (GIPC) Act. Among the key changes is the proposed renaming of the institution from “Centre” to “Authority,” along with revisions to other core provisions.

The Ghana Deposit Protection (Amendment) Bill is next on Parliament's agenda. The Bill proposes to change or improve certain parts of the order that protects people’s savings in case a bank fails.

The Exemptions (Amendment) Bill is a proposed law that intends to enhance how tax and duty exemptions are given in Ghana, ensuring that benefits are given to individuals who deserve them.

The other Bills yet to be deliberated by Parliament include the Customs (Amendment) Bill, the Income Tax (Amendment) Bill, the Revenue Administration (Amendment) Regulations, the Public-Private Partnership Regulations, Fees and Charges (Miscellaneous Provisions) Amendment Regulations, the Exemptions Regulations, and the Conduct of Public Officers Bill.

Also, the Criminal and Other Offences Procedure (Amendment) Bill, Economic and Organised Crime Office Bill, Ghana Industrial Property Office Bill, Intestate Succession Bill, Legal Education Reform Bill, Legal Profession Bill, Notaries Public (Amendment) Bill, Presidential Transition (Amendment) Bill, State Property and Contract (Amendment) Bill, and Tribunals Bill are set to receive Parliament’s attention.