The Minority in Parliament has sharply criticized the National Democratic Congress (NDC) government’s 2025 budget, particularly targeting the government’s job creation promises, which they have dismissed as “sakawa jobs,” implying that these positions are unrealistic or potentially fraudulent.

In a media interaction following the presentation of the budget by Finance Minister Dr. Cassiel Ato Forson on Tuesday, March 11, the Minority expressed their dissatisfaction with several aspects of the budget, with job creation being a key point of contention.

The Minority raised concerns about what they perceived as contradictory statements from Dr. Forson. While the Finance Minister called on investors to come to Ghana, he simultaneously acknowledged that the country’s economy is facing significant challenges. The Minority argued that such mixed messages could potentially undermine investor confidence. One member remarked, “Is he driving away investment? This is not the way to govern a country.”

Another major issue highlighted was the government’s ambitious US$10 billion “Big Push” initiative. Despite frequent references to the US$10 billion target, the budget allocated only US$800 million for the project. The Minority questioned the feasibility of the initiative, with one member asking, “How can they claim to spend US$10 billion when only US$800 million has been allocated?” They further noted that even if the government spent US$1 billion per year, it would not reach the US$10 billion target by the end of its term.

The Minority also criticized the government’s job creation plans, which they described as unrealistic, stressing, “The jobs they are promising Ghanaians are sakawa jobs.”

In conclusion, the Minority accused the government of failing to deliver on its promises, particularly with regard to the “Big Push” initiative. “They are already failing in their promise as far as the Big Push is concerned,” they stated.