2026 Budget targets achievable

Yaw Appiah Lartey, Partner for Strategy and Partnerships at Deloitte Ghana, has expressed confidence that the government can achieve the targets outlined in the 2026 Budget presented by Finance Minister, Dr. Cassiel Ato Forson.

The budget, which projects a rebound anchored on stability, growth, and fiscal discipline, sets clear medium-term targets for 2026 to 2029. Under this framework, the government aims for an average real GDP growth rate of 4.9 percent, with non-oil GDP growth expected to reach around 5 percent as part of efforts to diversify the economy away from extractive industries.

Inflation is projected to remain within the 8 ± 2 percent target band, while the primary balance is expected to record a surplus of 1.5 percent of GDP on a commitment basis from 2026 onwards, in line with the Fiscal Responsibility Framework. This is intended to consolidate recent gains in economic stability.

Speaking with Bernard Avle on Channel One TV’s The Point of View, on Monday, November 17, Mr Appiah Lartey added that the budget deficit targets are also attainable, especially with oversight from the International Monetary Fund, emphasising that disciplined execution would be key to meeting the projections.

“I think they are all achievable, and in the sense that if you have achieved GDP in the first half of the year, your GDP growth of about 6.3%. And you are projecting the end of 2026 to achieve about 4.6%. And even the year that you are in, you are around 6.3%, your target is about 4%, I think it’s just something you can achieve.

He stressed, “Same with the budget deficit. Particularly with the headmaster International Monetary Fund in the room, they will be able to achieve it. These are targets that are achievable and not ambitious, except maybe we’re not disciplined in some areas, and we may miss some of these targets.”