Finance Minister Dr. Cassiel Ato Forson has confirmed that the government has started the process of recruiting staff into the public service, in line with the agreement reached on November 9, 2025, regarding the 2026 base pay.
Speaking during a dialogue with President John Mahama on March 17, Dr. Forson said the government is committed to engaging with unions and undertaking critical recruitment, all within existing budget limits.
“This comes despite revealing that the government was forced to borrow GHS 17 billion to pay salaries in 2025,” Dr. Forson noted.
He added that Ghana is facing significant fiscal pressure, with the compensation-to-tax revenue ratio standing at 44 per cent, well above the ECOWAS guideline of 35 per cent.
According to the Minister, the 2025 compensation bill of GHS 78.9 billion exceeded the total non-oil tax revenue available after statutory allocations and debt servicing by GHS 17 billion.
This shortfall had to be covered through borrowing.
Despite these challenges, Dr. Forson assured that the recruitment of public service staff would be managed responsibly and remain within the government’s budgetary constraints.