Murtala Mohammed, the former Deputy Trade Minister, has criticized Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta for his remarks on the government’s payroll.
Mr. Murtala Mohammed believes that such remarks constitute an acknowledgment of a failing government and has pushed them to admit it.
Mr. Ofori-Atta said during a graduation ceremony at UPSA on Friday, October 15, 2021, that the government payroll was full and that no more public sector workers could be hired. He encouraged graduates to pursue entrepreneurship in order to get control of their financial lives.
According to him, this is the only way to decrease the country’s growing unemployment rate.
“That payroll is full because we are spending some 60% of our revenue on remunerating some 650,000 people. That cannot be sustained.”
However, Mr. Murtala in an interview asked the government to find ways of creating jobs for the youth of this country.
According to him, the rising unemployment levels are completely unacceptable.
“It is an admission of a government that has failed, and also an admission of a government that promised Ghanaians heaven and yet dragged them towards hell. That’s exactly what’s going on.”
“This government is in power with promises and if you check the unemployment rate now, it has risen over 8% under them and unemployment amongst the youth is 12.6% and that is completely unacceptable.”
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