2026 Budget to Prioritise Job Creation, Says Dep. Finance Minister
The government has announced that job creation will be the central focus of the 2026 budget, in line with recent World Bank recommendations urging Ghana to tackle persistent unemployment through private sector-led growth.
Speaking at the launch of the World Bank’s ninth Ghana Economic Update in Accra, Deputy Finance Minister Thomas Nyarko Ampem said the report’s findings were timely, as budget hearings open next week.
“The 2026 budget will focus on jobs. The Ministry of Finance has been repositioned to leverage key insights, with the creation of a Real Sector Division and a Research Division to enhance evidence-based economic policy,” he noted.
Mr Nyarko Ampem added that government has already commenced targeted interventions to tackle unemployment, including the National Apprenticeship Programme, Adwumawura, and the One Million Coders initiative, with GH¢564.4 million earmarked for 2025.
An additional GH¢410 million is being channelled through the National Entrepreneurship and Innovation Programme to support youth enterprise. Investments under the “Big Push” infrastructure drive, Agriculture for Economic Transformation, and the 24-Hour Economy Programme are also expected to generate significant indirect employment.
Observers say the jobs-first fiscal approach reflects growing pressure on government to deliver inclusive growth as the economy recovers from recent macroeconomic challenges.
