Accra: Following the high youth unemployment rates in Ghana, some final year tertiary students at Wa have expressed worry about their uncertainty in finding meaningful jobs for a decent living after school.
According to Ghana News Agency, they expressed concern over the limited job opportunities in the country, noting that the situation had left many tertiary school graduates stranded, despite years of academic investment and skills acquisition.
Mr. Denis Akyereko, a final year student of the SDD University of Business and Integrated Development Studies (SDD-UBIDS), stated in an interview that he planned to establish his own business after National Service to earn a living. Mr. Joshua Osei Tutu, also a final year student at the same university, recommended that young people should foster a culture of self-reliance through entrepreneurship training to avoid depending on the government for jobs.
The students appealed to the government to implement measures such as tax reduction incentives or exempting youth
-led businesses from taxes to create a favorable business environment for youth-led enterprises to thrive. Madam Diana Abono, another final year student at the university, urged the government to expand public sector job opportunities and develop digital and technological platforms to open new markets for young businesses. Other students emphasized the need for accessible start-up capital to help young people translate their dreams and skills into sustainable businesses.
Mr. Felix Wuurah, the Wa Municipal Director of the National Youth Authority (NYA), corroborated the concerns of the students but added that the NYA had taken initiatives to address the challenge of youth unemployment in the country. He explained that the government, through the NYA, had rolled out targeted skills development programs and promoting entrepreneurship among young people.
Mr. Wuurah detailed that the NYA is tasked with complementing the work of the Youth Employment Agency (YEA) by recruiting both skilled and unskilled youth into
practical training schemes aimed at securing jobs or creating self-employment. Through the National Apprenticeship Programme, the Authority is offering hands-on training in areas such as carpentry, dressmaking, hairdressing, and satellite installation for young people as a source of employment. Beneficiaries are not only trained but also provided with start-up kits and capital to enable them to work independently and employ others.
Mr. Wuurah added that the NYA is currently implementing the ‘Our STEP (Skill Towards Employment and Productivity) Programme,’ in the Lambussie, Sissala East, and Wa East Districts in the region. The program aims to support at least 200 youths per district to receive training in trading and technical skills, enabling them to earn sustainable livelihoods. He emphasized that tackling unemployment requires a collective effort, calling on private sector actors and communities to complement the government’s efforts in creating more opportunities for the youth.