Former Finance Minister Dr. Mohammed Amin Adam has raised concerns over the 2025 budget, particularly its impact on public sector employment.
Speaking in an interview on Channel One TV, he criticized the government’s decision to implement a net freeze on public sector hiring, warning that it could limit job opportunities for young Ghanaians.
Doubts Over Job Creation Promises
Dr. Amin Adam cast doubt on the budget’s job creation commitments, stating, “The jobs that the budget promises to deliver—I don’t think they are going to deliver those jobs. I will be very happy if those jobs are delivered so that those Ghanaians, the youth that don’t have jobs, can have jobs.”
He explained that the employment freeze primarily allows for replacement hiring rather than creating new job opportunities.
“By declaring a net freeze on employment in the public sector, they are simply telling Ghanaian youth who have hopes of getting employment in the public sector that they will not get that,” he said.
Concerns Over Political Replacements
Dr. Amin Adam further warned that the freeze could lead to political replacements rather than genuine job creation.
“When we are talking about job creation, we are talking about new jobs and not sacking people who were employed legally and replacing them with other people. They are all Ghanaians,” he stressed.
His remarks add to the ongoing debate over the effectiveness of the 2025 budget in addressing Ghana’s economic and employment challenges.