2027 Budget: Ato Forson announces GH¢30bn investment in New Economy programme

Finance Minister Dr Cassiel Ato Forson has announced that the government plans to invest GH¢30 billion in its New Economy programme in 2027 to expand businesses, increase exports and create jobs.

Presenting the 2027 Budget Statement and Economic Policy to Parliament on Thursday, November 12, 2026, he said the investment would provide the foundation for Ghana's economic transformation and support the government's development priorities.

He explained that the funding forms part of a broader investment plan covering the 2027–2030 period, which is intended to transform the economy without undermining macroeconomic stability or reversing the gains made in recent years.

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Dr Ato Forson said the government would ensure that projects under the programme undergo rigorous appraisal and value-for-money assessments before resources are committed.

He added that expenditure would be properly budgeted, authorised and transparently reported, with public funds directed towards strategic projects and assets capable of delivering wider benefits to the country.

Commercial agriculture to receive US$3bn

A significant share of the planned investment will go into commercial agriculture, which the government considers a major driver of economic growth, employment and export expansion.

“Next year, we will invest GH¢30 billion into the New Economy. This will finance the foundation for the economic transformation needed to expand businesses, increase exports and create jobs for the Ghanaian people. Out of the US$10 billion equivalent, US$3 billion of that amount will be invested in Pillar Two, Commercial Agriculture,” he said.

The Finance Minister noted that the benefits of commercial agriculture extend beyond farming to include transportation, processing, packaging, trade and other rural services that support economic activity.

He, however, expressed concern about Ghana's continued dependence on imported food and agricultural products that could be produced competitively locally.

According to him, spending billions of dollars on such imports puts pressure on the cedi, exposes the economy to external price shocks and denies local businesses and communities opportunities to grow.

Dr Ato Forson argued that reducing avoidable food imports would create jobs and stimulate activity across the agricultural value chain.

He said the move would support farmers through improved access to financing, provide opportunities for factories to resume operations and create business for transport operators and other service providers.

“Every avoidable import is more than a customs entry into our country. It is a farm that was not financed, a factory that remained idle, a transport contract that was never signed and a job that was created elsewhere,” he told Parliament.

The government says the New Economy programme is expected to help build a more productive economy by supporting local businesses, strengthening domestic production and creating employment opportunities for Ghanaians.

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