Minority Leader, Alexander Afenyo-Markin, has taken a swipe at the government over what he describes as a lack of serious effort to tackle unemployment, particularly within the private sector.

Speaking at a press conference ahead of the third meeting of Parliament, the New Patriotic Party (NPP) MP questioned the administration’s economic direction, arguing that inflation figures alone are not enough to suggest economic stability.

“We cannot say that inflation has helped to stabilise prices,” he said. “If you monitor the opportunities for jobs, we are really getting nothing.”

Mr Afenyo-Markin criticised the government’s lack of focus on private sector-led job creation and lamented the decision to abandon the flagship One District, One Factory (1D1F) initiative a programme launched under the previous administration to spur industrialisation and local employment.

“They came to cancel the 1D1F. They say they don’t need it,” he stated. “But the 1D1F was a major boost for the private sector.

Highlighting the ideological contrast between the two main political parties, the Minority Leader emphasised the NPP’s belief in empowering the private sector as a key engine of economic growth.

“We in the NPP are centre-right ideologists. We believe in the private sector, the private market creates opportunity for industry to grow so they can employ more,” he said.

He contrasted this with the current government's approach, suggesting that their centre-left, social democratic orientation has failed to produce clear or effective plans for private sector development.

“They are social democrats, centre-left. We don’t know what they intend to plan,” he remarked. “We cannot say that they have shown seriousness in terms of job creation for the private sector.”