Minority Leader Alexander Afenyo-Markin has raised concerns over Ghana’s rising youth unemployment, describing the reported 34.4 per cent rate as “very unacceptable” and questioning the government’s commitment to job creation and economic development.
According to him, the high unemployment figure exposes a gap between political promises and real outcomes, particularly for young people seeking sustainable livelihoods. He questioned where the promised jobs are, despite repeated assurances by the government to prioritize youth employment.
Mr Afenyo-Markin criticised some government interventions, arguing that programmes such as the National Apprenticeship initiative lack substance and have not delivered meaningful or large-scale employment opportunities for the youth. He also expressed concern over the cancellation of the One-District-One-Factory (1D1F) policy, warning that its removal without a clear alternative could further weaken job creation efforts.
The Minority Leader further noted the absence of a clearly defined private sector–driven strategy from the Ministry of Trade and Industry to replace the scrapped policy, stressing that economic growth and employment cannot be achieved without strong private sector participation.
He called on the government to move beyond policy announcements and focus on concrete, results-oriented actions that can stimulate economic growth and create sustainable jobs for the youth, warning that failure to do so could have long-term social and economic consequences.
