Josiah
Dr. John Kumah, the Deputy Minister of Finance, has reaffirmed the government’s dedication to confronting the nation’s unemployment challenge directly.
He outlined several initiatives aimed at urgently addressing the issue of job scarcity, including YouStart, the Ghana Enterprise Agency, and the National Entrepreneurship and Innovation Programme.
According to the Third Quarter Labour Statistics Report of the 2023 Annual Household Income and Expenditure Survey, there is cause for concern.
In the initial three quarters of 2023, the unemployment rate rose by 1.1%, climbing from 13.6% to 14.7%. Notably, there is a significant gender gap in unemployment, with women often experiencing higher rates.
Dr. Kumah acknowledged the gender disparity and highlighted the substantial increase in female unemployment from 2022 to 2023. However, he emphasized the government’s commitment to attracting investments and cultivating an environment conducive to job creation.
He mentioned, “The Ghana Statistical Service on Wednesday announced that about 1.5 million Ghanaian youth are unemployed. Last year, E-levy generated GH¢1.19 billion, and as part of dealing with the job situation… unemployment situation, the government has committed funds through YouStart from this E-levy source…to GEA and NEIP to address the unemployment situation in the country. I am happy to announce that institutions like Wealth and Jobs Expo and all private groups willing to help create jobs in the private sector will also be supported to facilitate job and business creation in the private sector.”
Source: Omanghana.com
