Minority Leader Alexander Afenyo-Markin has strongly criticised this year’s Mid-Year Budget Review presented by Finance Minister Dr Cassiel Ato Forson, describing it as a ploy to secure a third term for President John Mahama.

Speaking on the floor of Parliament, Mr Afenyo-Markin said he saw through the ploy, arguing that the presentation looked good on paper but did not reflect the true circumstances of Ghanaians.

"Third term? You are not performing [but] you want a third term," he said. 

"Ato Forson, you are here presenting a budget and beneath it is a third term agenda where you're going to spend money for people to be calling for a third term. We're watching you with eagle eyes."

"You won't have a third term, today nor tomorrow," the Effutu MP emphasised.

Mr Afenyo-Markin urged the governing National Democratic Congress (NDC) to acknowledge what he described as its failure to deliver on its campaign promise of job creation through the 24-hour economy policy. 

He said the private sector was lamenting the cancellation of the NPP's One District, One Factory (1D1F) initiative, leaving many young people jobless.

He also criticised the government's dismissal of public sector workers employed under the previous NPP administration, arguing that restoring them to secure jobs would serve Ghanaians better than presenting what he called a glossy account of the economy to court public favour ahead of another term.

"Focus on 24-hour economy," he said. 

"You promised one job, three shifts. You promised industrialisation."

"Ghanaian businesses have lost confidence in you. You cancelled the 1D1F which was creating opportunities for the private sector. In its place, there are no policy alternatives."

"Electricity tariffs have gone up by almost 30% and you say you're promoting a 24-hour economy. You have sacked public sector workers. Many Ghanaian youths lost their jobs. You sacked them. Instead of promising to restore them to their rightful places in the job market, you are not doing so. Then you come and say we should praise you."

The lawyer and lawmaker accused the NDC of nepotism.

"Who is going to praise you if you don't pay and you are holding the money and then tightening belts and only paying your party members?" he said.

"We are not interested in the books. We are interested in the economy in our pockets. People are suffering. People need jobs. Your [NDC] youths, even your MPs, are praising you here, [meanwhile] a lot of them are hungry. Your back benchers can't go back home. And you're here saying we should praise you."

"We will not praise you. It is the same old story. Asɛm dada naa," he said.

Background

President Mahama first became president in 2012, succeeding the late President John Evans Atta-Mills before being elected in his own right that year. 

He was defeated by Nana Akufo-Addo in the 2016 elections and returned to power after winning the 2024 elections, a term the NDC regards as his second. 

There is now debate over whether the party will seek a further term for him which attributes to what the party describes as a successful reset of Ghana's economy — a claim the main opposition NPP disputes.

The NPP is seeking to return to power with former Vice President Dr Mahamudu Bawumia as its flagbearer.