Gov’t Gives Clearance for Over 145,000 Jobs

The Government of Ghana as part of plans to deal with the growing unemployment situation in the country has given clearance for the recruitment of some 145,000 persons for the Public sector.

According to the Information minister-designate, Kojo Oppong Nkrumah, the Finance Ministry within the last three months had given the financial clearance to hire these persons.

He said the initiative was also a proof of government’s resolve to stabilize the country’s economy which has been unstable since for some time.

“The government continues with the next step which is to deepen its job creation initiatives in the Private and Public sectors. On the Public Sector side, financial clearance has been given for over 145,000 jobs as part of these efforts.

“As the Akufo-Addo administration has consistently said, the first priority of government has been to revive the Ghanaian economy and return it to a stable footing from the crisis of 2016,” Mr. Oppong Nkrumah stated.

He continued: “To this end, we have spent the first one and half years restoring macro stability, a fact which all economic observers attest to.”

The Information Minister-designate however noted that the NPP government was not oblivious there remains more jobless persons even after the recent clearance.

He therefore reiterated government’s determination to eradicate the unemployment situation in the country, with the financial clearance for the 145,000 jobs as a Kick-off.

“Even though 145,000 jobs is a very significant number, the extent of the unemployment challenge created within the last 8 years means that more people are still looking for jobs out there.

“Government is cognizant of that and government will continue with actions that are aimed at creating more opportunities for them even as we improve economic conditions and government finance,” he noted.

Giving the break down, Mr. Oppong Nkrumah said in the health sector, 24,000 health workers will be recruited while about 9,500 would be pooled into the educational sector mostly to enhance the double track system of the Free senior high school (FSHS) policy.

Others are: 4000 police recruits, 3500 other security personnel and 2700 Agric extension workers.

The rest include 1049 local government workers, 20,000 afforestation workers and 100,000 NABCO recruits.

“Our principal job creation path however remains to fully execute our programmes that are aimed at stimulating the creation of more economic activities and jobs especially in the private sector, including the one district, one factory programme, “the Information minister stated.

He noted that 145,000 jobs that have received financial clearance are expected to be at post before the end of 2018.

By: Grace Ablewor Sogbey/ [email protected]