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Minority Leader Alexander Afenyo-Markin has mocked the government, describing the 2025 Budget and Economic Policy Statement as part two of the “lamentation series.”
Speaking on the floor of Parliament after the Finance Minister’s budget presentation, the Minority Leader stated that the first part of the government's lamentation had been delivered by President John Mahama in his recent State of the Nation Address.
He criticised President Mahama for mismanaging the economy, stating:
Mr Speaker, the economy they complain about left us with four months of import cover, yet under their so-called reset, they are now projecting just three months.
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These are the same people who managed the economy up to 2016 and left us with Independent Power Producer (IPP) debts. Today, they claim they are coming to renegotiate the very disaster they created.
Mr Afenyo-Markin went on to describe the budget as an "azaa" (deceptive) budget, alleging that it was designed to mislead Ghanaians. He specifically criticised the government for failing to provide a concrete statement on the much-discussed 24-hour economy policy.
We have witnessed what we can best describe as an Azaa budget. Mr Speaker, the much-talked-about 24-hour economy – the President came here and said it was not ready. Now the Finance Minister comes, and yet again, the 24-hour economy policy is missing from the budget statement.
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The youth of this country have been waiting for this 24-hour economy policy, yet the Minister tells us it will be introduced later. Mr Speaker, it is clear that all the jobs they promised the youth were merely an Azaa policy.
In response, Majority Leader Mahama Ayariga countered, stating that the budget had brought hope for Ghanaians.