Minority Rejects NDC’s 2025 Budget: Calls Job Promises “Sakawa Jobs”

The Minority in Parliament has harshly criticised the National Democratic Congress (NDC) government’s 2025 budget, particularly questioning its promises of job creation, which they have derided as “sakawa jobs.”

The term “sakawa” is a local slang implying that the jobs are either unrealistic or potentially fraudulent.

The comments came after Finance Minister Dr. Cassiel Ato Forson delivered the budget on Tuesday, March 11, 2025.

Members of the Minority expressed their concerns over several aspects of the budget, notably the government’s plan to create thousands of jobs, a central promise for many citizens.

In a press statement, the Minority described the job creation strategy as overly optimistic, accusing the government of promising unachievable positions with no clear plan of implementation.

They called these promises “sakawa jobs,” a term that suggests the jobs are either deceitful or cannot be delivered.

The Minority also criticised Dr. Forson’s mixed messaging. While the Finance Minister invited foreign investors to Ghana, he also acknowledged that the nation’s economy was struggling.

The Minority argued that these contradictory statements could scare off potential investors. “Is he driving away investment? This is not the way to govern a country,” one member of the Minority questioned.

Another major point of contention was the government’s flagship initiative, the US$10 billion “Big Push.”

While the project is meant to transform the economy, the Minority pointed out that only US$800 million had been allocated for it in the budget.

They questioned the feasibility of reaching the US$10 billion target with such a small sum and criticised the NDC for not showing a clear path to fulfil its promises.

“The jobs they are promising Ghanaians, they are sakawa jobs,” the Minority added, expressing deep concern over the government’s ability to meet its goals.