If the majority of the population is unemployed, the country’s democracy cannot be maintained, according to Johnson Asiedu Nketiah, National Chairman of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC).
He claims that if the majority of people are having trouble finding work so they can support themselves, protests will be rampant.
Without work for the youth, he continued, the government will be unable to maintain peace, and if jobs are produced for them, no youth will participate in protests.
In order to prevent protests, Mr. Asiedu Nketiah urged the Akufo-Addo administration to avoid spending money on riot gear for the police and increase employment opportunities for young people.
“If you are in a country and more of your people are jobless, you cannot sustain any democracy. You cannot continue to sustain peace in that country. And that is why I believe strongly that instead of spending more money on buying riot gear for the police to foil demonstrations, it is better to find jobs for the youth so that when they are engaged, they will not find the need to demonstrate,” the NDC chairman said.
During an 80-female graduation ceremony in Anfoega, in the Volta Region, he made these remarks.
The 80 female graduates received training in beautician and fashion design thanks to Joycelyn Tetteh, a North Dayi member of parliament.
Mr. Asiedu Nketiah applauded the legislator for her initiative in empowering women with the needed skills, admonishing other MPs to emulate the initiative in their various constituencies.
On her part, the MP said the necessary logistics have been provided for females, adding, “we will monitor them for five months to know if they are doing well or not, then we will advise ourselves on the way forward”.