Unemployed graduates to demonstrate against unemployment

Accra, Aug. 24, GNA - The Unemployed Graduates Association of Ghana (UGAG), on Wednesday threatened to organise massive demonstrations “very soon” to the Castle, the seat of Government, to press home their demands for the creation of jobs for the “many unemployed graduates” in the country.

It therefore appealed to government to embark on a massive job creation exercise by creating the enabling business environment to give business opportunities to the many unemployed youth.

“It is very disappointing that little has been done in trying to empower the youth who are endowed with much energies to channel their energies into enterprise creation,” UGAG said at a press conference held in Accra.

Miss Lamisi N. Adi, Secretary of UGAG addressing the press conference, said after various assurances from government that it was going to create avenues for unemployed youth in the country; “we are disappointed to say here that, there has not been any signs of bringing hope to the thousands of unemployed graduates in the country; maybe they are yet to come”.

She said although UGAG itself had organised various business advisory workshops, entrepreneurial skills and research for over 800 of its 3,500 members, government was yet to come to their aid by providing the enabling atmosphere and support for them.

They therefore called on government to set up a youth business fund for young graduates who want to set up their own businesses as well as give tax incentives to UGAG members.

“We are understudying the situation and if the situation does not improve to our benefit, we are going to match a million unemployed graduates on the streets of Ghana to demonstrate heavily against the failure of government to provide us jobs and the atmosphere for job creation”.

Meanwhile, UGAG has called on its members to remain calm but focused on “our agenda” which is to compel government and all stakeholders to create meaningful jobs for the youth, especially the unemployed gradates.