Ghana’s unemployed can take heart as the Deputy Finance Minister, Thomas Ampem Nyarko, has revealed that the 2026 national budget will have job creation at its core.
Speaking at the launch of the World Bank’s 9th Ghana Economic Update, themed “Addressing Labor Market Challenges and Opportunities in Ghana’s Economic Landscape”, Nyarko described the report as “timely” and “complementary” to the government’s upcoming budget preparation process.
He reiterated that budget hearings will commence next week, with the government keen to integrate the World Bank’s in-depth recommendations on tackling Ghana’s labour market challenges.
The Deputy Minister noted that the Ministry will critically look at the recommendations made in the 9th Ghana Economic Update and incorporate them into the 2026 budget.
“I must say that the release of this report is very timely, because this month, the finance minister has indicated that we should begin the process of our budget preparation for 2026. And so we are going to start the budget hearings next week. This budget for 2026 is going to focus on jobs. And so it is coincidental. It is timely. It is complimentary that you have done an in-depth analysis of our job situations,” he announced.
He continued, “We are going to critically look at the recommendations you make and see how we can incorporate them into our 2026 budget.”
The Deputy Minister stressed that the focus on jobs was no coincidence, pointing to the urgent need to address youth unemployment, underemployment, and the skills gap in the economy.
The new budget is expected to prioritise strategic investments and policies that stimulate private-sector-led growth while equipping the workforce with employable skills.
With unemployment remaining one of Ghana’s most pressing socio-economic concerns, the pledge signals a shift towards targeted, people-centred budgeting.
For many job seekers, the 2026 budget could represent not just fiscal numbers on paper, but a lifeline to economic opportunity and financial independence.
