IMANI Africa President, Franklin Cudjoe, has endorsed the 2025 Mid-Year Budget Review presented by Finance Minister Dr. Cassiel Ato Forson, describing it as a much-needed pivot toward fiscal discipline following years of financial mismanagement under the former New Patriotic Party (NPP) administration.
Cudjoe’s remarks came during a news interview , where he backed Dr. Forson’s sharp critique of the NPP’s spending habits, which the Minister famously likened to “living a champagne lifestyle on an ‘akpeteshie’ budget.”
“That is clearly the situation we faced in the last eight years. Ato Forson characterises the NPP’s spending as someone who lives a champagne lifestyle on an ‘akpeteshie’ budget which is clearly the situation we faced in the last eight years.”
Dr. Forson’s mid-year review highlighted the need to anchor economic recovery on responsible spending, debt sustainability, and improved domestic revenue mobilization. He painted a picture of an economy struggling under the weight of past fiscal excesses, but now on a path to prudent realignment.
Cudjoe welcomed the budget’s tone and direction, noting it reflects more than just good intentions it signals a shift in policy mindset.
“I was pleasantly not surprised but quite happy for the simple reason that the whole definition of what you can give to the presentation was one of discipline and I think the word discipline people do not understand it could actually be a policy.” he said.
He added, “If your policy is to spend recklessly, you should also know that someone’s policy could be discipline and spending within budget.”
The IMANI president’s support adds intellectual weight to the current administration’s economic messaging, reinforcing the idea that budgetary discipline is not just a financial imperative but also a strategic policy choice. As Ghana navigates a post-debt restructuring landscape, the emphasis on restraint and targeted spending may prove pivotal in restoring investor confidence and private sector momentum.
