The Ranking Member on Parliament’s Economy and Development Committee, Kojo Oppong Nkrumah, has raised concerns about rising youth unemployment, arguing that recent improvements in Ghana’s economic indicators have yet to create meaningful job opportunities for many young people.
Speaking during a debate on the state of the economy in Parliament, Oppong Nkrumah said youth unemployment increased from 32 percent in December 2024 to 32.5 percent in the third quarter of 2025, despite signs of macroeconomic recovery.
According to him, the situation is particularly alarming in the Greater Accra Region, where nearly half of young people remain without employment.
“In the Greater Accra Region alone, youth unemployment as at Q3 2025 is now 49.3 percent. What it means is that, on average, one out of every two young people you meet on the streets of the Greater Accra Region is unemployed,” he stated.
His remarks come at a time when government officials have highlighted falling inflation, exchange rate stability and other positive economic indicators as evidence of economic recovery.
However, Oppong Nkrumah argued that economic progress should not be measured solely by macroeconomic figures but by the extent to which it improves the lives of ordinary citizens.
He stressed that the unemployment figures should serve as a warning to policymakers and called for urgent interventions to create sustainable jobs for young people across the country.
The former Information Minister maintained that employment generation must remain a key priority of the government’s economic agenda, especially as thousands of graduates and job seekers enter the labour market each year.
He added that while macroeconomic stability is important, it must be accompanied by deliberate policies aimed at expanding employment opportunities and supporting youth participation in the economy.
Youth unemployment remains one of Ghana’s major socio-economic challenges, with experts warning that persistent joblessness could affect productivity, social stability and long-term economic growth.
