In a debate that quickly turned into a political roast, the MP for Ayensuano, Ida Adjoa Asiedu, took the Mahama government to task over what she descr
In a debate that quickly turned into a political roast, the MP for Ayensuano, Ida Adjoa Asiedu, took the Mahama government to task over what she described as a “loud budget with a quiet conscience.”
While the 2026 Budget touts itself as progressive and human-rights centred, her analysis painted a picture of grand speeches held together by weak allocations.
Speaking with a blend of constitutional grounding and sharp political sarcasm, the MP reminded the House that human rights are not decorations to garnish a budget—they are obligations rooted in the 1992 Constitution and international treaties Ghana proudly signs but sparsely funds.
A Gender-Promising Government That Can’t Meet Its Own Targets
Without mincing words, Ida Adjoa Asiedu pointed out a glaring contradiction: President Mahama promised 30% women in leadership, but nine months into office, he is hovering at 23.21%.
“Not even a quarter into the promised quota,” she quipped, “yet we are being asked to clap for ‘gender responsiveness’.”
She also questioned the mysterious status of the government’s much-advertised Women’s Development Bank.
Despite GH¢51 million allocated in 2025 as seed money, there is no visible institution—no board, no building, not even a signboard. Yet, like magic, another GH¢400 million has been allocated in 2026.
“Is it a bank, a ghost project, or a savings account for wishes?” she asked.
Menstrual Hygiene: ‘Same Figure, Same Story, New Year’
The MP described the menstrual hygiene allocation as “copy-and-paste governance,” noting that the funding for sanitary pads remains at GH¢292 million—exactly what was allocated in 2025. While 1.3 million basic school girls benefited last year, she argued that real progress would mean scaling up coverage, especially to senior high schools.
“Girls are growing, their needs are growing, but the budget remains unchanged,” she said.
Domestic Violence Fund: The Line Item That Made Parliament Go Quiet
Then came the knockout punch.
Calling it “the most disgraceful line item,” Ida Adjoa Asiedu dissected the Domestic Violence Fund allocation—an increase from GH¢337,500 to GH¢1 million—with surgical precision.
“Yes, the percentage increase is impressive,” she said. “But so is the percentage increase in suffering.”
She delivered a math lesson that left the chamber in stunned silence: 14,000 cases reported in 2024, GH¢1,000,000 allocated in 2026,.GH¢71 per victim and when unreported cases are factored in—estimated above 50,000—the cost drops to about GH¢20 per woman.
“Twenty cedis,” she stressed. “Less than a pack of sausage rolls. That is how much the government values the life of a woman whose jaw has been shattered.”
She noted that building and running a proper domestic violence shelter costs GH¢8–12 million, making GH¢1 million for the entire nation not just inadequate but absurd.
“If You Want To Encourage Abusers, This Is the Budget”
She accused the National Democratic Congress government of sending a dangerous message that perpetrators can continue unchecked while victims receive crumbs.
To correct this, she proposed a GH¢50 million annual fund for shelters, trauma counselling, a 24-hour hotline, data systems, and specialized prosecution.
“This budget,” she said, “is not a safety net. It’s a shrug.”
Jobs: Big Slogans, Small Action
Ida Adjoa Asiedu then pivoted to job creation, describing the government’s employment promises as “a masterclass in PowerPoint governance.”
She demanded accountability for Mahama’s flagship job programmes: Nkoko Nketeke, coders Programme, 24-Hour Economy and the Big Push.
“How many real jobs? How many real people? How many real salaries?” she pressed.
With the government now promising 800,000 new jobs through garment factories, agro-processing, and oil palm programmes, she cautioned Ghanaians not to confuse intention with implementation.
“Parliament Will Be Judged Not by Its Debates but by Its Silences”
In her final flourish, the Ayensuano MP warned that if Parliament refuses to correct the glaring injustices in the budget—especially for women and the youth—it risks being remembered as a House that watched suffering rise while funds fell.
“I will not be silent,” she declared. “The women of Ayensuano are not silent. Ghana must not be silent.”
Her intervention has since ignited renewed pressure on the government, with many observers suggesting that the real budget debate has only just begun.
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