The Minister of Education, Haruna Iddrisu, has warned that unemployment remains a “ticking time bomb” for Ghana, stressing the need for urgent and sustained interventions, particularly to address youth joblessness.
Speaking in an interview on Channel One TV’s The Point of View with Bernard Avle on Wednesday, December 24, Mr. Iddrisu said the growing number of unemployed young people poses a serious threat to the country’s social and economic stability.
“Unemployment remains a ticking time bomb. We need to find urgent answers and solutions to address the growing youth unemployment,” he stated.
The Minister expressed concern that although increasing numbers of young people are completing various levels of education and skills training, job creation has not kept pace with the expanding youth population entering the labour market.
He called for coordinated national efforts involving government, the private sector, and educational institutions to better align education and skills development with labour market needs.
According to Mr. Iddrisu, failure to address the mismatch between training and employment opportunities risks producing graduates who are either ill-prepared for available jobs or face prolonged periods of joblessness.
He stressed the need for policy reforms and increased investment in sectors with the capacity to absorb large numbers of young people, warning that inaction could worsen unemployment and its associated social challenges.
Mr. Iddrisu said tackling youth unemployment must remain a national priority, urging practical and long-term solutions to secure sustainable livelihoods for Ghana’s growing youth population.
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