1.8 million graduate unemployment exposes government's failure on jobs

George Opare Addo, NDC National Youth Organizer

The National Youth Wing of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) has slammed the Akufo-Addo government over Ghana's high graduate unemployment rate of 1.8 million as reported in the latest Ghana Statistical Service figures.

In a statement dated February 23, NDC Youth Organizer George Opare Addo said the unemployment rate of 1.8 million tertiary graduates is "staggering" and represents a "time-ticking bomb waiting to detonate."

He questioned how a government that has had more resources than any in Ghana's history could preside over such massive unemployment.

Mr. Addo noted that government officials had given differing job figures in their attempts to deceive citizens.

“The Ghana Statistical Service has shown all those figures are just malicious statistics, reality on the grounds shows that 1.8 million tertiary graduates are unemployed, and government has no solution,” the statement noted.

The NDC youth leader accused the government of mismanaging public funds through "dubious deals" like Agyapa and the National Cathedral project.

Such money, according to the NDC youth leader, "could have been redirected to meaningful job creation initiatives, thereby alleviating the plight of the unemployed youth."

As a solution, the NDC is proposing its 24-Hour Economy policy which Mr. Addo said will "help reduce unemployment rate in Ghana in a long run" through job creation in sectors like construction, health, agro-processing and tourism.

He called on unemployed graduates to "get on board and rally behind the policy and plans of the NDC and be rest assured that redemption is coming."