“We don’t need slogans, youth unemployment requires urgent action” – Oppong Nkrumah

Member of Parliament for Ofoase-Ayirebi, Kojo Oppong Nkrumah, has called for urgent and practical reforms to address Ghana’s growing youth unemployment challenge, insisting that the country needs a stronger and more effective system to create jobs.

Making a statement on the floor of Parliament, the former Information Minister cited recent labour market data showing that youth unemployment continues to rise despite various government initiatives aimed at creating employment opportunities.

According to him, unemployment among persons aged 15 to 24 increased from 32 per cent in December 2024 to 32.5 per cent by the third quarter of 2025. He further noted that youth unemployment in the Greater Accra Region has reached 49.3 per cent, meaning nearly one in every two young people in the region is unemployed.

He said the situation demands urgent action and a shift from political rhetoric to practical solutions.

“Mr. Speaker, we do not need more slogans or promises that results are in the pipeline. We need a more effective architecture to solve the worsening youth unemployment problem in our country. Data from the Statistical Service is clear. The youth unemployment problem is getting worse. The time to act is now,” he stated.

Mr Oppong Nkrumah revealed that approximately 1.34 million young people between the ages of 15 and 24 are currently not in education, employment, or training, adding that the figure rises significantly when the broader youth category is considered.

As part of his recommendations, he called for all government employment programmes to be tied to publicly available performance scorecards to enable citizens to track their effectiveness.

“Every employment programme should have a clear delivery scorecard that tells us how many jobs have been created, how much each job costs, how long it takes beneficiaries to secure employment and whether those jobs are sustained over time,” he said.

The MP also urged policymakers to clearly separate skills training programmes from job creation initiatives, arguing that training alone cannot solve unemployment if there are no corresponding employment opportunities.

“Training people without creating demand for their skills only manufactures disappointment,” he stressed.

His third proposal focused on attracting more private sector investment into job creation rather than relying heavily on government borrowing and spending.

“Government borrowing cannot be the primary vehicle for job creation. The real engine of employment growth is private investment. Government must focus on reducing risk and creating an environment that attracts capital,” he argued.

Mr Oppong Nkrumah further advocated making apprenticeship programmes a central pillar of Ghana’s employment strategy through certification systems, employer partnerships and structured pathways into jobs and entrepreneurship.

He also called for the establishment of a credible Labour Market Information System to provide real-time data on job vacancies, skills shortages and labour market trends to guide policy decisions.

The Ofoase-Ayirebi legislator questioned the effectiveness of ongoing employment initiatives, including the government’s flagship programmes, insisting that young people are looking for tangible opportunities rather than promises.

“The youth of this country are not looking for slogans anymore. They want feasible programmes that create dignified, productive and well-paid jobs,” he said.

He concluded by urging government and all stakeholders to treat youth unemployment as a national emergency requiring urgent and coordinated action.

“This challenge is bigger than politics. If we fail to address it decisively, we risk undermining the future prospects of millions of young Ghanaians,” he added.

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