The Trades Union Congress of Ghana has expressed concern over the 2025 national budget for failing to focus on employment creation.
The union noted that the government continues to rely on a macroeconomic framework that has not delivered significant job growth.
It called on policy makers to set clear, sector-by-sector and region-by-region targets that address the country’s pressing unemployment challenge, particularly among the youth.
In its review, the union stressed that while the budget acknowledges the need to rework the economic model, it still depends on an approach that emphasizes traditional targets like inflation and overall economic growth. The expectation that lower inflation and faster growth will automatically result in quality jobs was described as a flawed assumption. The TUC has long argued that employment should be treated as a measurable indicator, rather than an incidental benefit of other economic measures.
The union highlighted that similar criticisms have been raised in previous budget cycles, pointing to the persistent absence of dedicated employment targets. It also noted that policies leaning on private sector-led job creation, combined with high interest rates from inflation-targeting efforts, tend to limit business expansion and hiring. In a submission to the Ministry of Finance, the TUC referred to elements of the opposition manifesto that promise sustainable, decent, and well-paid jobs, urging a similar bold approach from the government.
The 2025 budget does recognize challenges facing the youth and signals a commitment to initiatives aimed at economic transformation through measures such as the Agriculture for Economic Transformation programme and the promotion of Made-in-Ghana goods in public procurement.
Other programmes include the Ghana Labour Export Programme, a National Apprenticeship Programme, and schemes to promote digital jobs and rapid industrialisation. Despite these efforts, the union insisted that the underlying issues of employment creation remain unaddressed as long as a clear framework is not established.
Efforts to improve employment data collection were also urged, with a call for allocating additional resources to the Ghana Statistical Service so that job creation can be reliably tracked across all regions. The union further argued for a review of the nation’s trade policy, suggesting that measures which currently favour imports over domestic production hinder the creation of local jobs.
The debate over the budget comes amid long-standing concerns regarding job prospects in Ghana. While government initiatives may create opportunities over time, the union’s remarks reflect a broader call for a shift in policy priorities.
The integrated perspective offered by the TUC serves as both a critique of past approaches and a clear directive for reorienting national strategies towards measurable employment outcomes. This reflection underscores the importance of aligning economic policies with the urgent need for job creation to secure a more inclusive and sustainable future for the country.
