We Have Created More Jobs

Dr. Edward Omane Boamah, Minister of Communication

Government says it has created thousands of jobs in both the formal and informal sectors to cut down on unemployment. This, according to the ruling government, is as a result of the economy's “considerable stability and expansion” in addition to a sustained resilience in the of face global economic challenges.

A statement signed and issued by Dr. Edward K. Omane Boamah, Minister of Communications, on Monday said – “several interventions aimed at creating more jobs, as well as helping the private sector to expand and create job opportunities for the youth have been initiated.” Also, the statement gave an account of some specific efforts in that regard, stating that through direct government interventions and partnership with the private sector, numerous jobs has been created.

Between 2013 and 2015, said the statement, titled “Ghana's Economy Set To Create More Jobs: As New Projects Come On Stream,” the John Mahama “government through the Export Trade Agricultural and Industrial Development Fund (EDAIF) supported local industries to the tune of GH¢245.4 million. This amount funded over 125 different projects in the pharmaceuticals, rice, sheanut, poultry and textile industries among others, thereby creating jobs for thousands of Ghanaians.”

Again, it claimed that the Skills Development Fund, implemented by COTVET, had disbursed a total of GH¢150 million to 654 businesses, which trained 93,600 people in vocational and technical skills across sectors of the economy, adding that a total of 43,485 businesses had also received support under the Fund.

Furthermore, the printing and distribution of over 100 million exercise books under the free exercise books initiative observed the statement created lots of jobs since its inception in 2010. “The distribution of over 2 million school uniforms under the Free School Uniforms Programme has also created thousands of jobs for people engaged in the production of these uniforms in the textiles industry,” added the statement.

Additionally, noted the statement, “Under the Free Zones Board, a total of 69 companies were established between 2013 and 2015, leading to the employment of 16,372 people; The Youth in Agriculture programme employed 23,000 youth in 2013 bringing the total number of young farmers in the programme to 81,150; The National Vocational Training Institute (NVTI), Integrated Community Centres for Employable Skill (ICCES) and Opportunities Industrialisation Centres (OIC) have employed 21,802 people.

“Notwithstanding the numerous verifiable job avenues that had been created over the past three to four years under the leadership of President John Dramani Mahama, this year, brings more prospects for our enterprising youth ready to put their skills and industry at the disposal of the nation, the statement further revealed as government, began the rolling out of a number of interventions aimed at absorbing the youth.

“These include but not limited to the Youth Entrepreneurial Agency (YEA) which was in the process of employing a minimum of 100,000 youth under the following modules; Sanitation, Security Services Module, Community Teaching Assistants and Paid Internship, recruiting 45,000, 5,000, 10, 000 and 5,000 people respectively. The rest are; Health Extension Workers and Youth In Agri-Business also providing jobs for 10,000 and 20,000 people respectively.”

The Ministry of Communications' statement further said the completion of some major industrial projects this year including the Business Process Outsourcing Centre near the Kwame Nkrumah Interchange, The Komenda Sugar factory, the New Fish processing factory at Elmina among others would unleash more jobs ultimately eliminating unemployment.

“Over 400,000 professionals such as architects, engineers, quantity surveyors, masons, carpenters, welders, steel benders, electricians and painters, among others, are currently employed at various sites where direct Government investment in the construction of hospitals, roads, schools, water, energy, housing and market projects are underway.

“When these projects are completed teachers, nurses, engineers, doctors, pharmacists and other professionals will be recruited to work in these facilities. These projects also have places for semi-skilled and unskilled labour.

“This government is empowering Ghanaian youth and business people to be more entrepreneurial and innovative through targeted policies and programmes. The first batch of 107 beneficiaries of the Youth Enterprise Support (YES) has received financial support to establish and grow their own businesses after receiving intensive training and mentoring in business management.

“The implementation of the President's directive for GH¢100 million worth of textbooks for schools to be printed locally is one such sign of empowerment being offered local businesses. This directive alone creates jobs for an estimated 4,000 people.

“As an additional motivation, duties on importation of raw materials for printing textbooks have been removed to boost the local printing industry to expand and employ more people,” it added. These are some of the ample proof of both governments' commitment to create more employment opportunities for the youth and the pragmatic steps being taken to reduce this perennial global challenge to the barest minimum observed the statement.

By Mohammed Awal
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