The Chairman of the TUC, Reverend Richard K .Yeboah said most politicians only make promises when it comes to unemployment instead of giving concrete steps to solving the challenge.
The Chairman of the TUC, Reverend Richard K .Yeboah said even though all political parties acknowledge the unemployment challenge in the country none of them is hitting the nail on the head as to how they will solve this menace.
"Unemployment is a problem that is well recognised across the political divide but it has received scanty attention beyond electioneering rhetoric. For the TUC, political parties will be measured on how they deliver their promises on employment after they win the elections.’’
“Any government that fails to implement sustainable policies on job creation will throw the future of the country into jeopardy owing to the fact that unemployment is the single largest economic and social problem facing the country.’’
Rev Yeboah was speaking at a launch of a project meant to enhance employment creation in the country at Peduase in the Eastern Region.
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In Ghana, the unemployment rate measures the number of people actively looking for a job as a percentage of the labour force.
According to the Ghana Statistical Service unemployment rate in Ghana decreased to 5.20 percent in 2013 from 5.96 percent in 2010. Unemployment Rate in Ghana averaged 8.82 percent from 2001 until 2013, reaching an all-time high of 12.90 percent in 2005 and a record low of 5.20 percent in 2013.
The World Bank in its report on jobs in Ghana revealed that about 48 percent of the youth in the country, who are between 15-24 years do not have jobs.
Meanwhile, the governing National Democratic Congress has also said it has created 600, 000 jobs since 2012.
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But Rev Yeboah said the politicians must cease making promises and instead focus on the main issue.
He said the economy was not creating enough opportunities for people to get jobs, “instead, employment in the country has rapidly shifted to the informal sector, a situation which has led to low earnings, inequality and constant abuse of workers by some employers,’’ he added.
He encouraged that any government who wins the upcoming elections focuses more on providing jobs.
“When people have jobs to do, the tax base can spread, so that the high taxes on commodities will be reduced. The government must provide massive support for sectors that have the potential to create more jobs,’’ he said.
