Dennis Miracles Aboagye, an aide to New Patriotic Party (NPP) flagbearer Dr Mahamudu Bawumia, has raised concerns about the pace of government recruitment and what he says are outstanding payments owed to public-sector workers and cocoa farmers.
Speaking on Channel One TV on Tuesday, August 11, 2026, Aboagye claimed that only about 7,000 newly qualified teachers and nurses had been recruited from an estimated 70,000 awaiting placement.
“You posted 7,000 out of a possible 70,000,” he said.
He argued that the figure represents a significant shortfall, particularly given the number of qualified professionals waiting to be placed in public service.
According to Aboagye, the government inherited a backlog of qualified teachers and nurses but had also made a campaign commitment during the 2024 elections to automatically post newly qualified professionals.
He questioned whether the current pace of recruitment reflects that promise, pointing to the large number of graduates still waiting for employment.
Aboagye also criticised the government’s broader approach to economic management, arguing that its efforts to control inflation were restricting the amount of money circulating among households and businesses.
“This government is running an inflation-target economy where they are sweeping all the money from the system,” he said.
He further alleged that government had accumulated substantial arrears owed to several groups, including teachers, nurses and cocoa farmers.
“Teachers are owed. They are not being paid. Fifteen-month arrears. Nurses are owed. They are not being paid. Cocoa farmers are not being paid,” he alleged.
His comments come amid concerns over how the government can balance public-sector recruitment and outstanding payment obligations with the need to maintain fiscal discipline.
Aboagye’s remarks therefore put the spotlight on the competing pressures of creating jobs for qualified graduates, meeting wage and other payment commitments, and managing the broader economy.
