Hon. Oppong Nkrumah during parliamentary proceedings on the 5th of February 2025, addressed the Minister for Employment and Labor Relations, Rashid Pelpuo, emphasizing the need to focus on private-sector job creation. He advised the minister to collaborate with economic sector ministries to create an enabling environment for businesses to thrive and generate employment.
“We congratulate him on his nomination. A couple of things that we, who have just left government, would like to draw his attention to. Jobs are created mostly in the private sector [rather] than the public sector. And so, it will be on him to liaise with his colleagues in the economic sectors so that they can create the enabling environment for the private sector to create jobs,” he noted.
He further suggested establishing an independent labor statistics body, similar to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, to provide reliable data on job creation. He recalled previous administrations’ struggles in reconciling employment figures, stressing the need for accurate and independent reporting.
Hon. Oppong Nkrumah also raised concerns over the government’s claim that consolidating ministries would lead to significant cost savings. He argued that while merging ministries reduces the number of ministers, it does not necessarily cut overall government expenditure.
Hon. Nkrumah highlighted that although the Ministry of Information no longer exists, a Minister of State at the Office of the President now oversees government communication. He emphasized that the minister’s salary remains unchanged, and civil servants from the dissolved ministry continue to receive salaries. Similar consolidations in other ministries, such as Works, Housing, and Water Resources, have not resulted in job losses but have merely merged administrative functions.
“the claim that we make sometimes that there’s been a wholesome cut in expenditure is not exactly accurate, and I think that it’s something that we should also address our minds to,” Nkrumah stated.
Environment Minister Tasked with Strengthening Galamsey Fight
On environmental matters, Hon. Nkrumah urged Minister Murtala Mohammed Ibrahim to intensify efforts in the fight against illegal mining (galamsey). He referenced past government commitments to tackling the issue and called for a stronger collaborative approach involving the Lands and Defense ministries.
“It’s a fight that successive governments have battled…..So, the Honorable Murtala, as you go there, today, the cap is squarely on your head, and you have to collaborate with your colleagues to try and achieve some results in addition to what has been achieved in that area,” he remarked.
Digital Economy and Fintech Development Prioritized
Hon. Oppong Nkrumah called on the Minister for Communication, Digital Technology, and Innovation to focus on expanding value-added services in the telecom sector. He noted that beyond voice and data services, there are opportunities in business process outsourcing (BPO) and financial technology (fintech) that can create jobs for young Ghanaians.
“Singapore, [and] some other parts of the world are creating a lot of jobs for young people through BPOs. It will serve Ghana well if the minister pays attention to that area.” he urged. He also emphasized the importance of supporting fintech startups, noting that many young Ghanaians possess digital skills that, with proper guidance, could be channeled into legitimate economic ventures.
Hon. Oppong Nkrumah also called on the Minister for Sports and Recreation to integrate sports into the government’s proposed 24-hour economy. He suggested leveraging astroturf facilities across the country to facilitate night sports, creating additional economic opportunities.
