Ghana drafting new policy to deal with youth unemployment

The Government of Ghana is formulating a new Labour Intensive Public Works policy, to address unemployment, particularly among the youth.

The policy has proved successful in countries such as Kenya, Rwanda, South Africa and Burundi.

Deputy Minister of Employment and Social Welfare Minister, Mr Antwi-Boasiako Sekyere, announced these at a day’s workshop in Kumasi, to solicit public input into the draft policy.

It was jointly organized by the Ministry and the Ghana Social Opportunities Project (GSOP), under the theme: “Extending Employment Opportunities and Economic Security to the Poor,” for 46 participants.

They were officials from the Departments of Social Welfare and Community Development, planning officers, assembly members and engineers from  Ashanti and Brong-Ahafo Regions.

Mr Sekyere explained that the policy would skew the production of goods and services towards the use of more labour than capital and technology.

Mr Desmond Duamatu of GSOP said the workshop sought to help fine-tune the draft policy, which would be officially launched in July this year.

Mr E. Karttah, Director of Policy, Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation at the Ministry, said the policy would focus on infrastructure development, agricultural sector, rural electrification, water supply and disaster management.

Source: GNA