2026 Budget: Ato Forson Explains Why Gov't Kept Public Sector Salary Rise at 9 Per Cent
- Ghana's Finance Minister, Dr. Cassiel Ato Forson, has announced a 9% salary increase for public sector workers
- The decision aims to balance wage growth, recruitment, and economic sustainability, with allocations for new public-sector recruitment
- Labour unions have expressed disappointment over the increment, while the Minister assured that recruitment will be done responsibly
Ghana's Finance Minister, Dr. Cassiel Ato Forson, has explained the government's decision to increase the salaries of public sector workers under the Single Spine Salary Structure (SSSS) by 9 per cent.
Speaking to Citi FM on Friday, November 14, 2025, the Finance Minister indicated that the decision was part of the government's effort to balance wage growth, recruitment, and economic sustainability.
Source: Facebook
He said that although labour unions expected a higher salary increment, the government is prioritising the wage bill and the need to employ more people in critical sectors of the economy.
According to Dr. Ato Forson, who is also the Member of Parliament for Ajumako Enyan Esiam, the 9% increment is linked to allocations made for new public-sector recruitment.
This, he explained, is a commitment the ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC) made when it assumed office.
The new public-sector salary increment was announced days before the 2026 Budget Statement was read on the floor of Parliament on Thursday, November 13, 2025.
Labour unions unhappy with salary increment
Labour unions have, however, expressed disappointment over the announcement.
They insisted that they had only accepted the initial 9% salary adjustment early in the administration’s tenure because the government had pledged to increase employment in the public sector.
Responding to the concerns of the labour unions, the Finance Minister stated that the increment was kept at 9 per cent to strike a balance between fair compensation and the need to bring in new staff.
“The difference is not only the 9%, but it is also because we made some allocations to do some recruitment, about 10,000 staff we want to add to the public sector," he said.
"It is what we started, and unfortunately, some people had to lose their lives. The GHC90 billion, as stated in the budget, will include some recruitment," he explained.
Ato Forson addresses teachers' and nurses' concerns
Earlier, the unemployed teachers and nurses demonstrated, demanding that the government either post them to their stations or pay them their ten months' salary arrears.
Reacting to this, the Finance Minister explained that there is a large backlog of qualified graduates who have been awaiting employment for years.
While assuring the unemployed teachers and nurses that their concerns would be addressed, he suggested that recruitment must be done responsibly.
“We have a backlog dating back to as far as 2021. People have gone to the nursing and teacher training colleges since that time, and they have not been employed to date," he stated.
"If you put the two together, you will get about 150,000. The 90 billion allocation cannot absorb that much. But it will be more of a sectoral question to deal with,” he added.
Source: Facebook
Former finance minister comments on 2026 Budget
YEN.com.gh earlier reported that the former Finance Minister, Dr Mohammed Amin Adam, criticised the 2026 budget presented by Dr Cassiel Ato Forson.
He described the budget as 'empty, hopeless, jobless, and growthless', calling it a plan without vision.
His comments sparked mixed reactions from Ghanaians following the budget presentation on November 13, 2025.
Proofreading by Samuel Gitonga, copy editor at YEN.com.gh.
Source: YEN.com.gh
