Afenyo-Markin to Government: Stop the Slogans, Show Us the Jobs

Ghana's Minority caucus has fired back at the Mahama administration following the presentation of the 2027 Budget Statement, insisting that Ghanaians have waited long enough for real employment opportunities and cost-of-living relief. Minority Leader Alexander Afenyo-Markin led the charge at a press conference on Thursday, delivering a pointed rebuttal to Finance Minister Dr Cassiel Ato Forson's budget address to Parliament.

"Stability on Paper, Hardship in Our Pockets"

Afenyo-Markin's central argument was straightforward: economic data and policy language mean little to ordinary Ghanaians who cannot afford food in the market. He challenged the government's portrayal of macroeconomic stability by pointing to conditions on the ground in Techiman, Tamale, Kumasi, Winneba and Accra, where he said essential produce remains out of reach for many households.

"The minister now tells us that the work ahead will demand patience. Whose patience?" he asked, noting that the government has already had considerable time to demonstrate it could deliver tangible improvements.

His remarks focused heavily on employment. He questioned how many jobs the administration had actually created since taking office, and argued that the budget offered no clear answers. "Ghanaians want jobs, jobs, jobs," he said, accusing the NDC of substituting slogans for solutions. "The NDC cannot rebrand unemployment. They cannot slogan away the cost of living."

Afenyo-Markin also raised specific concerns about whether funding was in place to pay key public-sector groups, including the Judicial Service Association of Ghana, teachers and nurses, and to support new recruitment drives. While he acknowledged the government's stated confidence in meeting obligations under the Domestic Debt Exchange Programme, he pressed for the same clarity on public-sector payroll commitments.

Scrutiny of the New Economy Programme and Unanswered Promises

The Minority Leader turned his attention to the government's flagship New Economy programme, described as a US$10 billion initiative. He demanded to know exactly how much of that figure would be deployed in 2027 specifically, which projects would receive funding, and how the programme differs in substance from the previously announced 24-hour economy policy. Without those details, he argued, there is no meaningful way for Parliament or the public to hold the government accountable for spending.

Afenyo-Markin also questioned the absence of any update on the promised women's bank, a commitment he said the Finance Minister failed to address during the budget presentation. He pressed for clarity on that initiative alongside a range of business support measures, arguing that the proposed duration of machinery-related tax exemptions was insufficient to encourage the kind of private-sector investment that drives job creation. "Without the private sector, the economy cannot grow," he said.

What This Means for Ghanaians

The 2027 Budget arrives at a sensitive moment. Ghana is still navigating its recovery from a severe economic crisis that forced the country into an IMF-supported programme and led to the controversial Domestic Debt Exchange Programme, which inflicted losses on bondholders and pension funds. While headline economic indicators have shown some improvement, the lived experience of many Ghanaians — particularly in relation to food prices, unemployment and public-sector salaries — has not kept pace with official optimism.

The Minority's intervention reflects a broader public anxiety about whether economic recovery is translating into improved livelihoods. Demands for job creation figures, recruitment funding and private-sector incentives are not simply political point-scoring; they reflect legitimate concerns shared by workers, graduates and businesses across the country.

Afenyo-Markin said the Minority caucus would conduct a fuller review of the budget following Parliament's budget workshop before delivering a more comprehensive assessment. For now, the message from the opposition is clear: promises and patience are not enough — the government must show its workings.

• Minority Leader Afenyo-Markin rejected the government's call for public patience on jobs.
• He questioned funding for teachers, nurses, JUSAG and new public-sector recruitment.
• The Minority demanded a breakdown of the US$10 billion New Economy programme for 2027.