Finance Minister Dr Cassiel Ato Forson says Ghana has significantly reduced the share of national revenue devoted to servicing public debt, with the figure now falling below 20 per cent.
He said the development represented a major shift from the country’s previous debt-service burden, when more than half of national revenue was used to meet debt obligations.
Dr Ato Forson made the disclosure in a Facebook post on Saturday, August 22, 2026, highlighting what he described as progress in Ghana’s efforts to restore fiscal stability.
“In the past, Ghana spent over 50 percent of its national revenue on servicing debt,” he posted.
According to the Minister, the high debt-service burden in the past severely constrained the resources available to finance critical public services and infrastructure.
“This left less money for schools, hospitals, roads and other essential infrastructure,” he added.
He said the reduction in the proportion of revenue allocated to debt servicing had created greater fiscal space for government to pursue its development priorities.
From over 50% to below 20%
Dr Ato Forson said the latest position marked significant progress compared with the situation in which more than 50 per cent of government revenue was absorbed by debt servicing.
“Today, I am proud to say that we have made significant progress. We now spend less than 20 percent of our revenue on servicing debt!”
The Minister’s comments highlight the importance of debt sustainability to the government’s broader fiscal consolidation agenda, particularly in an economy where debt-service obligations have historically competed with expenditure on social services and infrastructure.
A reduction in the share of revenue devoted to debt servicing means a larger proportion of government’s internally generated resources can potentially be directed towards priority areas, although the actual fiscal space available will also depend on revenue performance, expenditure pressures and other government obligations.
Dr Ato Forson’s statement comes as the government continues to emphasise fiscal discipline, debt restructuring and measures aimed at restoring confidence in Ghana’s public finances.
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