Franklin Cudjoe Questions Economic Value of Mahama’s Job Creation Programmes

IMANI Africa President Franklin Cudjoe has voiced skepticism about some job creation initiatives rolled out under President John Mahama’s current administration, questioning their long-term value to Ghana’s economy.

Speaking on The Big Issue on Channel One TV, Mr. Cudjoe critiqued programmes such as Adwumawura, One Million Coders, and the National Apprenticeship Programme, suggesting they were hastily launched without clear links to enhancing economic productivity.

“You don’t just create jobs for the sake of it,” Cudjoe said. “Jobs must contribute meaningfully to the economy—fit into a broader value chain—not just keep people busy.”

He warned against pouring large sums into initiatives without conducting thorough impact assessments. According to him, programmes that appear ambitious on paper can easily turn into expensive undertakings that fail to yield measurable outcomes.

“If we’re spending close to GH₵200 million on these programmes, we must be certain of the synergy they offer and how they feed back into the economy,” he added.

While recognizing the need to address unemployment, Cudjoe stressed that job creation efforts must be strategic and aligned with national development priorities, not driven by political optics or short-term relief.