The Secretary-General of the Trades Union Congress (TUC), Joshua Ansah, has referred to the private sector as the most sustainable pathway to addressing Ghana’s unemployment challenges.

He has, therefore, called on the government to prioritise policies that strengthen local production.

He made the remarks while speaking at the May Day celebrations on Friday, May 1, 2026.

Joshua Ansah posited that while government-led job creation efforts remain important, long-term employment growth will depend on a vibrant and productive private sector.

He also raised concerns over the country’s heavy reliance on imports undermining job creation.

Joshua Ansah stated that, “the large volumes of imports that have saturated our market mean we are exporting jobs.”

He also called for increased investment in manufacturing and agro-processing to boost local production.

The TUC Secretary-General added that such a shift would create jobs at scale while reducing dependence on foreign goods.

In his view this will require a deliberate policy shift to support sectoral diversification and make domestic production both viable and competitive.

He said Ghana’s current economic structure favours imports while constraining local producers, thereby limiting the growth of indigenous enterprises.

Joshua Ansah stressed the need for government to place the private sector at the centre of its job creation strategy.

He was of the view that strengthening local industries remains the most viable solution to Ghana’s employment challenges in the medium to long term.