A fierce confrontation erupted on the floor of Parliament on Friday, 6th February 2026, as the Minority caucus moved to formally summon the Minister of Finance, Dr Cassiel Ato Forson, to account for what they describe as a rise in the cost of living.
The demand comes amidst a paradoxical economic climate where technical indicators show stability, yet representatives of the people claim that households are facing price hikes for essential commodities.
The Minority Chief Whip, Frank Annoh-Dompreh, spearheaded the call, arguing that the government’s ‘Accra Reset’ agenda is failing to manifest in the kitchens of ordinary Ghanaians.
He pointed to a disconnect between the Minister’s recent public engagements at major trading hubs and the reality of market prices.
“Before the budget, the minister was all over Agbogbloshie, Makola, talking to the women. Prices of tomatoes, yams, cocoyams, and cassava have gone through the roof. I want to plead with the leader of the house. It will not be out of place if we programme our friend. It is not for nothing that the Minister of Finance is one of our own. He should come. We are the people’s representatives. We are the only people who can talk about this,” Mr Annoh-Dompreh declared.
The clash highlights a growing tension between macroeconomic data and retail reality.
Earlier this week, the Ghana Statistical Service confirmed that national inflation had plummeted to 3.8% in January, the lowest in five years.
Despite this, the Minority insists that the cost of living remains a primary grievance, particularly regarding food staples.
While the Minority paints a bleak picture of market conditions, the Majority Leader, Mahama Ayariga, mounted a spirited defence of the administration’s fiscal record. He dismissed the claims of rising costs as inconsistent with the current strength of the Cedi and the downward inflationary trend.
“I don’t know which market you go to, but I know that the prices of goods and services, because of the low rate of inflation, because of the very good exchange rate relationship between the Cedi and the dollar, because of the stability of the Cedi and so many other good things that this government has done, definitely, prices cannot be going up. Cost of living is not a major issue in this economy,” Mr Ayariga countered.
The debate reflects a wider national conversation regarding ‘Kenkey Politics’—a term used to describe the gap between official statistics and the price of a ball of kenkey in local markets.
The Majority Leader maintained that the government has successfully restored confidence in the economy.
However, with the Minority insisting on a formal briefing, the House must now decide whether to schedule Dr Forson to provide a detailed breakdown of the government’s standard-of-living interventions.
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