Mrs. Akua Britwum, Associate Professor of the University of Cape Coast (UCC), has said that Ghana must urgently retool its labour force to meet the demands of a rapidly evolving economy.
In an interview with The High Street Journal (THSJ), Prof. Britwum emphasized that the country’s growth prospects under the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) and global competition depend heavily on how well its workforce is prepared to adapt to new industries, technologies, and business models.
“Our labour market is still dominated by traditional forms of employment, yet the business environment is shifting. Digitization, automation, and the green economy are reshaping the skills needed. If we fail to act, we will have workers who are unemployable in the very economy we are trying to build,” she said.
Prof. Britwum explained that Ghana’s economic growth has not always translated into higher productivity or better-paying jobs. She attributed this partly to the mismatch between education and industry needs.
“Employers consistently highlight the lack of soft skills, technical expertise, and adaptability in graduates. This mismatch is a structural issue. We must re-examine our training systems to align with the demands of the labour market,” she stressed.
She added that the informal sector, which employs over 80 percent of Ghanaians, must not be left out of labour reform.
“Informal workers contribute significantly to GDP, yet they lack protections, training, and access to finance. Formalizing aspects of the informal economy while enhancing productivity is key to inclusive growth,” she said.
On youth employment, Prof. Britwum highlighted the critical role of small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in absorbing labour.
She called for policies that support entrepreneurship, vocational skills, and digital literacy.
“SMEs are the backbone of Ghana’s economy, but they cannot expand sustainably without a skilled workforce. If we equip the youth with digital, technical, and managerial skills, SMEs can scale and create the jobs we desperately need,” she said.
The labour expert also urged stronger collaboration between government, academia, and businesses to design workforce strategies that are both forward-looking and practical.
She recommended that universities and technical institutions form closer partnerships with industries to provide students with practical exposure.
“We cannot have a situation where graduates enter the job market without work-ready skills. Internships, apprenticeships, and industry-based training must become compulsory, not optional,” she told THSJ.
Prof. Britwum also highlighted gender disparities in Ghana’s workforce, noting that women are often clustered in low-paying, informal jobs despite their significant contribution to the economy.
“If Ghana is serious about economic transformation, then women must be fully integrated into high-value sectors, from agribusiness to technology. Labour policies must deliberately tackle these inequalities,” she added.
She said that Ghana’s labour policies must prioritize long-term resilience over short-term fixes. “We are at a crossroads. Either we prepare our workforce for the realities of a modern economy, or we risk being locked into low productivity and high unemployment. The choice is ours.”
