President John Dramani Mahama has disclosed that about 70,000 trained health professionals are currently without employment, highlighting the limitations of government employment as a solution to Ghana’s growing youth unemployment challenge.
He said the figure underscored the need for the private sector to become a major engine of job creation, rather than relying solely on government to employ graduates.
President Mahama made the disclosure during a question-and-answer session at the University for Business and Integrated Development Studies (UBIDS) as part of his Resetting Ghana Tour of the Upper West Region.
According to him, the entire public service, from the President to the lowest-paid public worker, comprises fewer than one million people in a country with a population of about 34 million.
He said the situation made it impossible for government to employ all young people who graduate from Senior High Schools, universities and professional institutions every year.
President Mahama said this was one of the reasons his administration introduced the 24-Hour Economy, which seeks to encourage businesses to expand production and operate additional shifts to create more jobs.
He cited a factory he recently commissioned at Savelugu, which he said currently employs about 2,300 young people, approximately 80 per cent of whom are women.
The President said government intended to support the establishment of three additional factories of that nature next year while encouraging private investment in agro-processing, textiles, manufacturing and other productive sectors.
He also disclosed that the Finance Minister would introduce a New Economy Programme in the 2027 Budget, under which government would invest US$2.5 billion annually in strategic sectors.
President Mahama said the initiative would focus on areas including pharmaceuticals, agricultural production, agro-processing, tourism and power generation, with the ultimate objective of creating sustainable jobs.
He stressed that the investments would not create new state-owned enterprises but would instead provide financing and support to viable private businesses.
The President also urged young people to develop an entrepreneurial mindset and consider creating businesses that could employ others.
Story by: Emmanuel Romeo Tetteh(#RomeoWrites✍️)/ Presidential Affairs Correspondent | Ghana 🇬🇭