Deputy National Communication Officer for the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Malik Basintale, has expressed his dissatisfaction with the current unemployment situation in the country.
According to him, he believes nepotism by those in power is preventing qualified Ghanaians from occupying certain positions.
In an interview on TV3, he noted that jobs that could have been done by the ordinary Ghanaian, including himself has been handed over by President Akufo-Addo to his family members.
“The job I would be doing, Akufo-Addo has given it to his daughter,” he said.
The African Development Bank (AfDB) has reported that Ghana’s youth unemployment rate reached 7.16% in 2023, with the issue being particularly severe among those aged 15 to 24.
This information comes from the AfDB’s updated 2024 Africa Economic Outlook, which underscores a significant gender disparity in youth unemployment rates.
According to the report, unemployment is notably higher among young women than their male counterparts. Female youth unemployment reached 36.7%, while the rate for males was 29.3%.
The report also highlights a slight increase in multidimensional poverty, rising from 46% in 2017 to 46.7% in 2022, a trend largely attributed to the lingering effects of the Covid-19 pandemic.
Rising youth unemployment in Ghana has become a growing concern, leading to calls for intensified structural transformation.
The AfDB report points out that productivity in the services sector, the largest employer in the country, has stagnated. Meanwhile, gains in industry and agriculture have remained modest.
The report notes a significant shift in employment shares across sectors. Agriculture’s share of employment fell from 53.9% in 2007 to 29.8% in 2019. In contrast, industry’s share increased from 14.1% to 21.0%, and the services sector saw its share rise from 31.9% to 49.2%.
To accelerate Ghana’s structural transformation, the AfDB suggests several measures. These include enhancing competitiveness by addressing infrastructure bottlenecks, accelerating agro-industrialization through skills development and value addition, and bolstering private sector growth.
Additionally, the report emphasizes the need for a robust policy framework to support technology adoption and innovation.