The Minister of Employment and Labour Relations, Ignatius Baffour-Awuah has described the high youth unemployment the country is facing as a national security threat.
He said the situation could create security problems for the country if not quickly addressed.
According to him unemployed youth uprising in North Africa and other parts of the world in recent times should serve as an indicator about how unemployment destabilises a country.
The Minister said this in Accra yesterday when he swore in the Board Members of the Youth Employment Agency.
Mr Baffour-Awuah noted that although the Ghana Living Standard Survey by the Ghana Statistical Service in recent times pegged the country’s unemployment rate at growing between five to twelve percent, annually, the reality of the situation was far serious than what the figure represents.
“It is evident; no one needs to tell you that the country is faced with a challenging situation than those academic figures,” he said.
He said what was making the situation worse was the fact that most youths are under-employed since the work they do, and the wage they earn is not in tandem with their academic qualifications.
He, therefore, charged the new Board of YEA to take urgent steps to roll out initiatives to help in addressing the menace.
According to him, the government expected the Agency to create about 60,000 jobs by the end of next month.
Mr Samuel Awuku, the Chairman of the Board, thanked the President for the confidence reposed in them and gave the assurance of the commitment to deliver.
The new members of the Board are Justin KoduaFrimpong CEO of YEA, Bright Wireko-Brobbey, Deputy Minister of Employment and Labour Relations, James OseiQuarshie, Minister’s nominee from the Ministry’s Human Resource and Administration and Nana YaaAnsua from the private sector.
The rest were Eugene NarhKorletey, Chief Labour Officer, Victor Donkor, Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development, Emmanuel Sin-Nyetasigri, National Youth Authority Coordinator and Dr Kwame AmoakoTuffuor, the Minister’s nominee from the private sector.
By Nii Adotey/adrdaily.com
