Over 3 million jobs, comprising the private and public sector, were created at the end of 2020 – the first term of Akufo-Addo’s government, Minister-designate for Employment and Labour Relations Ignatius Baffour-Awuah has told the vetting committee of parliament.
According to him, the jobs – scattered across all sectors of the economy – were born out of some of the new initiatives introduced by government to better the lives of citizens and create jobs for, especially, the youth.
The initiatives include: Planting for Food and Jobs, Nation Builders Corp (NABCo), National Entrepreneurship and Innovation Programme, Youth Employment Agency, National Identification Authority Outgrower and Value Chain Fund, and the Ghana Commercial and Agriculture Plan.
“I don’t have the exact figures for end of 2020, but as at September 2020 the figure the ministry reported on was around three million jobs. I will make the details available to the committee. These jobs are a combination of the public and private sector. I am prepared to defend this number any time,” Mr. Baffour-Awuah told the committee.
President’s job promise
President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo during his inaugural ceremony on Thursday, January 7, 2021 stated that the main focus in his second term is the creation of a resilient economy that will, in turn, create jobs for unemployed youth in the country. This, he explained, will improve living standards for the many unemployed youths in the country.
“Establishing a strong economy, and undergoing structural transformation to value-added activities which will generate jobs for our young people and enhance their living standards, will be the main preoccupation of my second term,” he said.
The Ghanaian economy has over the years experienced shock and instability, especially during outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic in March 2020. The president however said the economy has been able to recover quickly from the pandemic, and is noted to be one of the growing economies globally.
The issue of unemployment remains a challenge in the country, as presidents who are sworn-in every four years try their very best to find a lasting solution to this canker. Many labour experts are worried that the growing unemployment numbers will be a cause of worry for national security, and believe more should be directed at providing meaningful jobs to the youth – especially graduates.
