Deputy Minister of Finance, Thomas Nyarko Ampem, has revealed that Ghana is grappling with a massive backlog of unemployed professionals in the health and education sectors — a challenge that continues to exert heavy pressure on the national budget.

Speaking on the Citi Breakfast Show on Wednesday, October 8, 2025, Mr. Ampem disclosed that since 2019, the country has accumulated a backlog of about 74,000 health professionals and 71,000 education professionals who have yet to be absorbed into the public service.

“In the health sector, every year from 2010 to date, around 26,000 professionals are trained, but only about 13,000 are recruited annually. As a result, we now have a backlog of roughly 74,000 unemployed health professionals,” he explained.

He said the education sector faces a similar situation, as colleges of education and universities continue to produce between 35,000 and 81,000 graduates annually, though only a fraction secure employment in the public sector.

“Each year, about 14,000 qualified teachers remain unemployed, bringing the current backlog to around 71,000,” Mr. Ampem noted.

The Deputy Minister stressed that while the government acknowledges the scale of the problem, addressing it fully would require substantial financial resources.

“To absorb all 74,000 health professionals would require an additional GH₵6 billion annually — and another GH₵6 billion for the education sector. This estimate covers only the existing backlog,” he stated.

Mr. Ampem also admitted that more than 12,000 workers who have been employed remain unpaid, assuring that the government is working to resolve the payment delays.

He reaffirmed the government’s commitment to balancing fiscal sustainability with employment needs, saying efforts are ongoing to create alternative pathways for professional engagement beyond the public payroll.