The Coalition of Nation Builders Corps trainees has lamented and kicked against the government’s decision to freeze public sector employment effective January 2023.

Presenting the 2023 Budget and Economic Policy to Parliament on Thursday, November 24, Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta announced the decision as part of measures to reduce government’s expenditure.

The coalition lamented the government’s lack of interest to absorb beneficiaries into mainstream employment after their three-year contract with the government ended on September 1, 2022.

Speaking after the presentation of the budget, the President of the Coalition of Nation Builders Corps, Nana Barima said the announcement comes as a disappointment to them since the government promised to absorb them into the public sector two years ago.

“The news is very disappointing, and the decision is a big blow for all NABCO trainees. The fact that government initially reneged to mechanize NABCO trainees, is very disappointing. Before the 2020 elections, we had a solid promise from the government that those who were interested in the public sector will be mechanized. But after the elections, government couldn’t actualize the promise.”

“We exited from the Scheme and submitted proposals expressing our interest in joining the Public Service and we are yet to get any response from the government.”

The Nation Builders Corps (NABCO) program was a government initiative to address graduate unemployment to solve social problems.

The initiative was focused on solving unemployment and boosting service delivery in health, education, agriculture, technology, and governance and drive revenue mobilization and collection.

The initiative was launched on May 1, 2018, as one of the government’s flagship policies.