Replace ‘ghost workers’ with real unemployed youth – Okudzeto Ablakwa to government

Member of Parliament for North Tongu, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, has said despite the government announcing a freeze in employment in 2023, the issue of ghost workers is still a major issue that needs to be resolved to solve employment issues in the country.

According to him, Ghana needs a permanent solution in regard to ghost workers rather than just freezing jobs in the public and civil sectors.

In a Facebook post, he said a solution in ghost names will go a long way to replace real talented unemployed youth.

“As govt announces a total freeze in public sector jobs, it is most depressing to note that the perennial canker of unapproved/ghost workers still dominates govt payroll. The 2023 Budget reveals that a massive 6,157 ghost workers were expunged in the first half of this year alone.

“Ghana needs a permanent scientific ghostbusters solution so we can replace the thousands of ghosts with real desperate but exceptionally talented unemployed youth instead of merely announcing a total freeze in public sector jobs.”

The Minister of Finance, Ken Ofori-Atta, in reading the 2023 budget on November 24, 2022, said the government has frozen the hiring of public and civil servants for the 2023 financial year.

He explained that the decision is part of expenditure-cut measures being adopted by the government to address the current economic challenges.

“A hiring freeze for civil and public servants. No new government agencies shall be established in 2023,” Ken Ofori-Atta said.