Ranking Member on Parliament’s Economy and Development Committee, Kojo Oppong Nkrumah, has expressed concern over rising youth unemployment levels, warning that improvements in key economic indicators have yet to translate into jobs for many young Ghanaians.

According to him, the country’s youth unemployment rate has increased from 32 percent in December 2024 to 32.5 percent in the third quarter of 2025, with the situation in the Greater Accra Region becoming particularly worrying.

Speaking on the floor of Parliament during a debate on the state of the economy, he said the latest figures highlight a growing disconnect between economic stability and employment creation.

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His comments come amid ongoing discussions about the state of the economy, with government highlighting improvements in inflation, exchange rate performance, and other macroeconomic indicators.

He noted that while inflation has declined significantly and the cedi has shown signs of stability, thousands of young people remain without jobs.

“In the Greater Accra Region alone, youth unemployment as at Q3 2025 is now 49.3 percent. What it means is that, on average, one out of every two young people you meet on the streets of the Greater Accra Region is unemployed,” he stated.

He argued that the unemployment figures should serve as a wake-up call for policymakers, stressing that economic recovery must ultimately be measured by its impact on the lives of ordinary citizens.

He therefore called for urgent and targeted measures to reverse the trend and create sustainable employment opportunities for young people across the country.

Oppong Nkrumah further maintained that job creation must remain at the centre of government’s economic agenda, particularly at a time when large numbers of graduates and young job seekers continue to enter the labour market annually.

He insisted that while macroeconomic stability is important, it must be matched with deliberate policies to expand employment opportunities.

The issue of youth unemployment has consistently featured among Ghana’s most pressing socio-economic concerns, with analysts warning that prolonged joblessness could have implications for productivity, social stability, and long-term economic growth.

ANAS/MA

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