Ghana’s youth unemployment crisis casts a long shadow over the nation’s labor market. Each year, hundreds of graduates from universities and polytechnics enter the job market with little hope of securing employment. The chronic mismatch between labor supply and demand has kept unemployment rates persistently high, especially among the youth.
In response, successive governments rolled out a series of initiatives to address this issue, with the Youth Employment Agency (YEA) emerging as a key player in the country’s fight against youth unemployment.
A Brief History of Youth Employment Initiatives
The National Youth Employment Programme (NYEP), established in 2005, was the government’s first major step toward addressing unemployment. Focused on providing temporary jobs, training, and internships, the program aimed to equip young people with skills and experience for the job market.
By 2012, the NYEP was rebranded as the Ghana Youth Employment and Entrepreneurship Agency (GYEEDA) to strengthen inter-agency collaboration and create pathways for beneficiaries to transition into permanent employment. In 2015, GYEEDA was transformed into the Youth Employment Agency (YEA) through the YEA Act.
The initiative was restructured into five core modules: skills training and internships, entrepreneurship training, sanitation, health and teaching assistance, and cooperative systems. The aim was to create a structured and synergistic approach to tackling youth unemployment while promoting sustainable job opportunities as indicated by the Ministry of Employment and Labour Relations in a report
Despite the ambitious restructuring, recent data reveals significant shortcomings in the implementation of YEA’s programs. Modules that were intended to create meaningful employment opportunities have, in some cases, failed to register any participants.
The Community Improvement Programme, which engaged 7,735 beneficiaries in 2022, recorded zero participants in 2023, despite targeting 1,000 beneficiaries. Similarly, the Youth in Trades and Vocations module, which had a target of 8,000 participants in 2022, failed to engage any beneficiaries in both 2022 and 2023.
Newly introduced initiatives have fared no better. The Coastal Sanitation module, designed to engage 2,000 beneficiaries in 2023, recorded no participants. Likewise, the much-anticipated Komenda Sugar Model, which promised to provide opportunities for 2,000 beneficiaries, also recorded zero participation. The Youth in Briquette module, targeting 500 beneficiaries for sustainable charcoal processing, faced a similar fate.
Missed Opportunities
These gaps are particularly troubling given the rising demand for youth employment opportunities. Each year, thousands of graduates enter the labour market with few prospects, yet many government programs designed to absorb this surplus labour have struggled to deliver.
In contrast, some programs have consistently performed well. The Youth in Sanitation module, for example, successfully engaged 45,000 beneficiaries annually in 2022 and 2023.
Even flagship initiatives like the Work Abroad Programme, which targeted 2,000 beneficiaries in 2022, failed to register any participants for two consecutive years. Similarly, the Youth in Entrepreneurship module, which engaged 5,000 participants in 2022, showed limited expansion in subsequent years.
Understanding the Challenges
The failure of these initiatives points to systemic issues. Insufficient funding, weak program planning, and poor alignment with labour market demands have all contributed to these zero-beneficiary outcomes. Additionally, the absence of clear communication about these programs may have contributed to low uptake.
Potential beneficiaries are often unaware of the opportunities available, limiting the reach and impact of these initiatives. Without targeted outreach and awareness campaigns, even the best-designed programs risk becoming irrelevant.
The failure of several key modules within Ghana’s youth employment programs is a missed opportunity to address the nation’s unemployment crisis. While some initiatives have delivered results, the persistent gaps in implementation highlight systemic inefficiencies that need urgent attention.
