President of IMANI Africa, Franklin Cudjoe, has thrown his support behind Finance Minister Dr. Cassiel Ato Forson’s strong criticism of the New Patriotic Party (NPP)’s economic management during its time in office, labelling it fiscally reckless and unsustainable.
Dr. Forson, speaking in a recent interview following his presentation of the 2025 Mid-Year Budget Review, accused the previous administration of excessive and unrestrained spending. He likened the NPP’s fiscal approach to “living a champagne lifestyle on an ‘akpeteshie’ budget,” highlighting the mismatch between government expenditure and revenue generation under their tenure.
Weighing in on the Minister’s remarks during an interview on Citi FM’s The Big Issue on Saturday, Franklin Cudjoe said:
“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.”
He further commended the tone and substance of the mid-year budget, noting that it reflects a shift toward deliberate financial discipline, which he believes must be viewed as a coherent policy stance.
“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.
“If your policy is to spend recklessly, you should also know that someone’s policy could be discipline and spending within budget.”
Cudjoe’s endorsement adds weight to ongoing debates over Ghana’s economic direction, with the current administration positioning fiscal discipline and accountability as key pillars of recovery.
