Ghana’s productivity challenges are being compounded by a persistent mismatch between the skills produced by the education system and those required by industry, a labour analyst has said.
Prof. Akua O. Britwum, Associate Professor at the Department of Labour and Human Resource Studies, University of Cape Coast (UCC), said while the country continued to invest in education and training, many graduates entered the labour market without practical, industry-relevant skills.
She explained that employers across key sectors such as manufacturing, agribusiness, construction and services were forced to spend additional resources on retraining workers, increasing production costs and reducing overall efficiency.
“The issue is not simply unemployment, but underemployment and misalignment of skills,” Prof. Britwum noted. “We are producing graduates, but not necessarily the competencies the economy currently demands.”
According to her, the skills gap limits firms’ ability to adopt new technologies, expand operations and compete effectively, particularly in an era of digitalisation and regional trade under the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).
Prof. Britwum stressed that productivity growth depended not only on capital investment but also on the quality of labour, calling for stronger collaboration between industry, training institutions and policymakers.
She said curriculum development must be informed by labour market needs, while internships, apprenticeships and workplace-based learning should be strengthened to bridge the gap between theory and practice.
The labour analyst also highlighted the need to upgrade technical and vocational education and training (TVET), describing it as critical to addressing skills shortages in practical and technical fields.
“Employers are demanding adaptable workers with problem-solving abilities, digital skills and practical experience,” she said, adding that without targeted reforms, Ghana risked deepening productivity challenges and slowing private sector growth.
Prof. Britwum urged policymakers to treat skills development as an economic priority, warning that failure to align training with market needs would continue to constrain business growth, job creation and competitiveness.
