Minister for Youth Development and Employment, George Opare-Addo, has cautioned that Ghana’s rising youth unemployment crisis poses a serious national security threat, calling for urgent collective action to reverse the trend.
The Minister described the escalating unemployment situation among young people as deeply alarming and said it must become a national priority.
Speaking on Citi FM’s Eyewitness News on Thursday, December 18, he stressed that the number of unemployed people is a scary situation.
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“It is a big national security threat, and all of us must be worried about the rising trend of youth unemployment,” Opare Addo said, adding that the government is working to reduce the figures significantly.
His concerns follow new data from the Ghana Statistical Service (GSS) indicating that more than 1.3 million young Ghanaians are currently not in employment, education or training.
According to the GSS, about 1.3 million persons aged 15 to 24, representing 21.5% of the age group, fall under this classification — a situation analysts fear could deepen labour market pressures and widen the existing skills gap.
Mr Opare Addo assured Ghanaians that the government is stepping up interventions to re-engage young people in productive economic activities, stressing that addressing youth unemployment is key to safeguarding national peace and stability.
He maintained that strategic programmes are being rolled out to create opportunities, enhance employable skills and support youth participation in key growth sectors of the economy.