Ho, Aug 26, GNA – Mr Yao Semordey, Senior Municipal Coordinator of National Youth Council (NYC), has said the growing involvement of the nation’s youth in violent crimes such as rape and armed robberies among others had pushed to the fore the persistent problem of youth unemployment.
He said as unemployment and underemployment was a problem all over the world, especially in developing countries, the situation in the country was compounded by illiteracy, drug abuse and trafficking that creates the breeding ground for social vices that ultimately threatened national stability.
Mr Semordey said this when he delivered a lecture on the topic “youth and unemployment” at this year’s annual youth week celebration of Jubilee Youth Ministry of Jubilee Christian Centre at Ho on Thursday. Mr Semordey said youth unemployment stems from unequal distribution of economic opportunities that are overwhelmingly concentrated in urban areas.
”As a result, the youth migrate from rural to urban areas to look for non-existing jobs leading to an urban rate of population growth that exceed the rate of economic growth.”
“Regardless of qualification and family background, young people in both rural and urban areas continue to aspire towards white-colour jobs”.
He blamed the situation on the nation’s educational system that portrays rural habitation as something unworthy and uncivilized for educated persons.
Mr Semordey said while opportunities for waged employment were always not available, young people had tremendous potential for self-employment through entrepreneurial activities.
“Micro-credit and grant schemes that provide seed money for small businesses, trading and advisory services and other initiatives designed to help engage the resourcefulness and enterprise of young people can prove to be effective strategies”, he said.
Mr Semordey said there was the need for new and effective approaches from government and private sector collaboration to effectively deal with the problem through the creation of job opportunities from public works, entrepreneurship development programmes, tourism development and agriculture. 26 Aug 05
Source: GhanaWeb
