The Member of Parliament for Effutu and Minority Leader, Alexander Afenyo-Markin, has criticised the John Dramani Mahama administration for discontinuing key initiatives introduced under the Akufo-Addo government, arguing that the move has worsened Ghana’s unemployment situation.
Speaking at the grand durbar, homecoming, and handing-over ceremony of the Asante Students Union at the University of Ghana on Sunday, August 17, 2025, Mr. Afenyo-Markin said the cancellation of flagship programmes such as the One District, One Factory (1D1F) initiative and related tax exemptions has discouraged investment and slowed down job creation.
“When government fails to create the right economic environment to support job opportunities, young people are compelled to innovate and create their own. If leaders do not build opportunities, the next generation must build them from scratch. The choice is simple: either we solve the unemployment crisis, or it will solve us in ways we will not like,” he cautioned.
The Minority Leader also expressed concern about the growing challenge of loan defaults, particularly within the Microfinance and Small Loans Centre (MASLOC). He revealed that as of February last year, more than GH¢291 million disbursed to small businesses through MASLOC over the past 12 years remained unpaid. In addition, he cited figures from the banking sector showing GH¢654 million lost as bad debt within just five months this year, and further warned of rising loan defaults in the mobile money sector.
“This culture is a cancer eating at the core of our economic soul,” Mr. Afenyo-Markin warned.
He urged government to prioritise policies that promote a business-friendly environment capable of stimulating innovation, attracting investment, and supporting sustainable job creation.
“More than one in every four Ghanaians wakes up each morning with no meaningful job to go to. Our overall unemployment rate stands at nearly 15% according to official figures. When young people cannot find jobs, it does not only become an economic challenge; it transforms into a security threat, particularly in a region already grappling with various forms of armed conflict,” he added.
Mr. Afenyo-Markin reiterated that the discontinuation of 1D1F and the suspension of industry-supportive tax waivers had effectively “killed” opportunities for sustainable employment across the country.
