2027 Budget Set for 6pm Thursday as Bagbin Approves Evening Presentation

The 2027 Budget Statement and Economic Policy will be presented to Parliament at 6 pm on Thursday, November 12, Speaker Alban Bagbin has announced, approving a request from Finance Minister Dr Cassiel Ato Forson for an evening sitting.

Bagbin disclosed the arrangement in Parliament on Tuesday, saying the minister had offered compelling reasons for the unusual timing. “I granted the Minister for Finance that the budget, which is to be presented on Thursday, to be presented in the evening. And he gave good reasons why he wants it to be presented in the evening,” he said .

The Speaker indicated Parliament would adjust its sitting schedule to ensure members are not fatigued before the presentation. “So on Thursday we will definitely adjust so that members don’t sit too early so that by the time he comes you’re already fatigued. And so Parliament may sit on Thursday around 6:00 p.m. so that we can prepare for his attendance,” Bagbin said .

The budget, expected to be titled “The New Economy,” will outline the government’s revenue projections, expenditure plans, job creation measures and policy priorities for the coming year .

A Budget Under Pressure

The evening presentation comes as business groups and stakeholders intensify calls for measures to reduce the cost of doing business, improve access to credit and support investment in agriculture and local production .

The Association of Ghana Industries has urged the government to prioritise industrial development, particularly the touted 24-hour economy policy, warning that industries need access to medium-term development funding to expand production and reduce costs . AGI Chief Executive Seth Twum Akwaboah also raised concerns about electricity tariffs for bulk companies, which have risen by more than 40 percent .

The Ghana Union of Traders Associations has called for cheaper credit and incentives for manufacturing, with Vice President Joseph Paddy questioning what specific measures the government would introduce to help businesses secure financing .

The New Economy Blueprint

President John Dramani Mahama has said the 2027 budget will detail the government’s New Economy initiative, which aims to invest more than $9 billion in job-rich sectors between 2027 and 2030 . The Volta Region is expected to benefit significantly, particularly in textiles, commercial agriculture, hospitality and tourism .

Finance Minister Forson has ruled out additional borrowing to fund the programme, saying it will rely on increased domestic revenue and savings from fiscal consolidation, with an annual allocation equivalent to 1.5 percent of GDP .

Ahead of the presentation, the Institute of Statistical, Social and Economic Research has urged the government to raise capital spending, warning that capital expenditure missed its target by more than 40 percent in the first half of 2026, undermining the infrastructure needed to lower business operating costs .

Parliament has scheduled a post-budget workshop for November 15 to 17 in Ho, where MPs will examine the budget’s implications and policy proposals .