Government working to reduce persistent youth unemployment – YEA
Ms Sarah Afful, the Central Regional Director of the Youth Employment Agency (YEA) has given the assurance that Government is working assiduously to redeem its pledge to fix the country’s economy.
She said the country needed “a healthy macro economy” in order to attract and retain the right investments to give a strong boost to job creation in various sectors to reduce the political, economic and social vices associated with youth unemployment.
Ms Afful, reiterated the Government’s assurance on the sidelines of a health screening exercise organized by the YEA and the Freddy King Foundation for residents in the Komenda-Edina-Eguafo-Abrem (KEEA) municipality at Elmina.
She explained that the government inherited “an economy in substantial disequilibrium” riddled with “high debt, high inflation (rate) and high interest rate”.
For that matter, it was necessary “to take measures to clean up the business and economic environment so that the investment that we need, especially for these large-scale initiatives will pave the way for employment on a large scale.
According to her, all the sullen macroeconomic indicators had turned in a positive direction over three years, giving strong hope of a bright future for all.”
“There is evidence that interest rates are falling, the deficit is reducing, GDP (gross domestic product) is growing again in Ghana; the foundations are now being laid, which will attract the required investment in the major infrastructural, as well as economic ventures,” she said.
“The Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo led-government is determined within its years in office to make a big dent in the unemployment situation in the country. It can be done and it will be done,” she assured.
Touching on some innovative interventions to create employment for the youth, Ms Afful stated that the government through the YEA had introduced four novel initiatives to create sustainable employment among Ghanaian youths aside the existing modules.
The initiatives are the Job Centre, Artisan Directorate, Agriculture-based flagship, and Work Abroad programmes to empower young people to contribute meaningfully to the socio-economic and sustainable development of the nation.
Its objective was to support the youth through skill training and internship modules to transit from unemployment to employment.
The Job Centre is a platform to link job seekers to employers, while the Artisan Directorate will be a centre that will train and set up artisans such as beauticians, masons, tilers, carpenters and fashion designers among others.
Again, Agriculture-based flagship programme will be a development programme which will be initiated in various regions and districts with focus on harnessing the natural resource in the area.
The youth will go into maize farming, fish farming and cassava plantation, among others whilst the Work Aboard programme will enable the export of young professionals such as nurses and teachers, into other countries.
She therefore urged all employers and job seekers, the youth of Ghana to take advantage of the various initiatives introduced by government by the YEA to alleviate poverty.
The existing modules are Youth in Sports, Youth in Community Service and Security, Youth in Community and Health Assistants, Youth in Agriculture and Afforestation, Youth in Entrepreneurship, Youth in Sports, Planting for Food and Jobs, Youth in Paid Internship, Community Teaching Assistants, and Industrial Attachment.
Others are Youth in Sanitation and Coastal Assistants, Youth in Apparel and Textiles, Youth in Information Communication Technology, Youth in Agriculture, Planting for Exports and Rural Development.
Source: GNA