Ato Forson Reveals 22 Laws Introduced to Protect Ghana’s Economic Recovery

By: Ebenezer Adugyamfi & Emmanuel Ayiku for GhanaianNewsCanada
30 OCTOBER 2026

Ghana’s Finance Minister, Dr Cassiel Ato Forson, has disclosed that the government has introduced approximately 22 laws over the past 18 months as part of efforts to protect the country’s economic recovery and ensure that key reforms remain in place beyond the tenure of the current administration.

The Minister said the legislative measures are intended to give the government’s economic policies a stronger legal foundation and make it more difficult for future administrations to abandon or reverse reforms that have been introduced to stabilise the economy.

Dr Forson made the disclosure during a New Economy engagement at the University of Ghana on Friday, October 30, 2026, where he addressed concerns about how government policies and economic programmed could be sustained beyond a change in political leadership.

He explained that the legislative process had involved introducing new laws, repealing existing legislation and amending certain laws to institutionalize the government’s economic management approach.

“I try to introduce a lot of laws. In the last 18 months, we have introduced about 22 laws,” he said.

Government seeks to prevent reversal of economic reforms

Dr Forson said one of the major challenges facing Ghana’s economic management was the possibility that policies introduced by one administration could easily be abandoned by another government.

According to him, reforms that are not backed by legislation can be changed whenever political leadership changes, potentially undermining the progress achieved through difficult economic decisions.

The Finance Minister argued that putting key reforms into law would provide a stronger basis for continuity and help protect the country from returning to the economic difficulties experienced between 2022 and 2024.

“We are trying to put these reforms into law,” he stated.

His comments come against the background of Ghana’s recent economic crisis, which was characterized by high inflation, currency depreciation, rising public debt and a debt restructuring programme.

The period placed significant pressure on households and businesses, while the government entered an International Monetary Fund-supported programme to restore economic stability.

The current administration says it wants to ensure that the measures being implemented to address those challenges are not temporary policy decisions but become part of the country’s broader economic governance framework.

Two-thirds parliamentary majority proposed for some changes

One of the significant elements of the government’s approach involves proposed legal amendments that could require a two-thirds majority in Parliament to reverse or alter certain provisions.

Dr Forson said the government was pursuing this approach to make it more difficult for future administrations to dismantle reforms that have been institutionalized through legislation.

“So, we are locking in the progress,” he added.

Such a requirement would raise the parliamentary threshold for changing the affected laws and could require broader political agreement before certain economic measures are reversed.

However, the proposed safeguards would apply to the specific laws and provisions affected by the amendments. The Minister’s remarks do not mean that every economic policy introduced by the current government would automatically become permanent or impossible to change.

The exact scope and legal implications will depend on the legislation Parliament ultimately considers and approves.

Public Financial Management Act amendment

Dr Forson also identified the ongoing amendment of the Public Financial Management (PFM) Act as one of the key legislative measures intended to strengthen the sustainability of Ghana’s economic reforms.

The PFM Act provides a legal framework for the management of public finances, including government expenditure, fiscal responsibility and accountability in the use of public resources.

The proposed amendments are expected to incorporate some of the government’s economic management measures into the country’s legal framework.

“So the PFM Act is being amended. Some of the things we are doing are being institutionalised, and we are putting it into law to lock in the sustainability,” he explained.

The amendment is particularly significant because weaknesses in public financial management have been among the issues highlighted in discussions about Ghana’s fiscal challenges.

Strengthening the legal framework could help improve discipline in government spending and promote greater accountability in the management of public resources.

Finance Minister cites parliamentary experience

The Finance Minister also pointed to his experience in Parliament and policymaking as an important influence on his approach to protecting economic reforms.

He said his understanding of the legislative process had helped him recognise the importance of establishing legal safeguards that would allow policies to survive changes in government.

“I am in a unique position to understand how the issue of sustainability can be tackled because of my parliamentary experience and policy experience,” Dr Forson said.

His comments followed a question from Professor Fred Dzanku, Head of the Economics Division at the University of Ghana’s Institute of Statistical, Social and Economic Research (ISSER), who asked how the government’s policies and programmes could be institutionalised beyond its term in office.

The exchange focused on the challenge of ensuring that policies are not abandoned simply because a new administration assumes power.

Can legislation guarantee lasting economic stability?

Although the introduction of approximately 22 laws represents a significant legislative effort, the long-term impact will depend on how effectively the measures are implemented and enforced.

Legal safeguards can help strengthen public financial management, promote policy continuity and reduce uncertainty. However, legislation alone cannot guarantee economic stability.

Ghana’s ability to sustain its recovery will also depend on responsible borrowing, effective management of public expenditure, revenue mobilisation, institutional accountability and the creation of an environment that supports businesses and investment.

There is also the question of how future governments will balance policy continuity with the flexibility required to respond to changing economic circumstances.

The proposed two-thirds parliamentary threshold for amending certain laws could encourage broader political consensus, but it also raises important questions about how much room future administrations should have to revise economic policies when circumstances change.

Ultimately, the success of Dr Forson’s legislative strategy will be measured not simply by the number of laws introduced but by whether they help prevent a recurrence of the economic difficulties Ghana experienced and improve the country’s long-term financial management.

For Ghanaians who endured the hardships of the 2022–2024 economic crisis, the central concern remains whether the recovery can be sustained and translated into improved living conditions, stronger businesses and more employment opportunities.