Pressure group Arise Ghana has raised the alarm over youth unemployment, describing the situation as a “slow-burning national emergency” that threatens to undermine the country’s economic recovery and social stability.
Speaking at a press conference at the International Press Centre in Accra on Wednesday, January 7, Arise Ghana Co-Convener, Ms. Marion Gifty Nyaaba, called on the government to implement urgent measures to create jobs, provide skills training, and support youth entrepreneurship.
“Youth unemployment is not just an economic problem — it is a ticking social time bomb.
If we fail to act now, all other progress will be at risk,” Ms. Nyaaba told journalists.
She stressed that over 1.3 million young Ghanaians are currently idle, a situation that could fuel frustration, disillusionment, and social unrest.
The group acknowledged improvements in the economy, including inflation falling to 6.3 percent, economic growth rebounding above six percent, and a stabilised Ghanaian cedi.
However, Ms. Nyaaba warned that economic stability alone is insufficient if young people remain excluded from opportunities.
Arise Ghana urged the government, civil society, and private sector to prioritise labour-intensive industries, expand vocational training, and provide financial support to young entrepreneurs.
The group said these interventions are critical to convert the current economic stability into long-term prosperity.
“We must ensure that economic growth benefits our young people. Without action, we risk leaving behind a generation that is frustrated, idle, and disillusioned,” Ms. Nyaaba emphasized.
The press conference was part of Arise Ghana’s one-year assessment of the Mahama administration, which examined economic progress alongside persistent challenges in governance, youth employment, and institutional reform.
Arise Ghana concluded by calling on all Ghanaians, civil society organisations, and the media to actively monitor government action and hold leaders accountable, warning that apathy could allow corruption and mismanagement to undermine the nation’s hard-won gains.
