Government and stakeholders have been advised to develop new ways to address the growing unemployment situation in Ghana.
The meeting was organised by the Ghana Center for Democratic Development (CDD-Ghana) and the International Research and Exchanges Board (IREX).
According to the speakers at the programme, Ghana will be able to stem the tide of youth unemployment issue if government reviews its job creation and entrepreneurship policies.
The event triggered a deeper conversation on how government and other stakeholders can harness the potential of the youth, while taking a critical look at the ongoing youth entrepreneurship initiatives to solve the unemployment problem in the country.
Executive Director of CDD-Ghana,Professor H. Kwasi Prempeh, believes it is critical for the youth to have a stake in the economy because the dangers associated with their inability to have access to employment opportunities cannot be ignored.
He then noted that the much-touted ‘Ghana Beyond Aid’ agenda cannot be achieved and sustained if attention is not paid to job creation and the conscious investment in the country’s human resource base.
To him, skills building and job creation must be encouraged, innovations and entrepreneurial ideas must be supported.
The US Ambassador to Ghana, Her Excellency, Stephanie S. Sullivan also said, no country can thrive unless the youth is made a priority and are given the tools and support they need to create their future.
Meanwhile, the unemployment rate in Ghana as at 2018, was 6.7% for people aged 15 years and above – translating into about 2 million Ghanaians without jobs, according to the International Labour Organization (ILO).