The Ministry of Youth Development and Empowerment has reported a substantial gap between its 2025 employment targets and actual delivery at the mid-year point, casting doubt on the pace and scope of the government’s job creation agenda for young people.
As part of the Government Accountability Series, the Minister for Youth Development and Empowerment, George Opare-Addo, revealed that only 40,500 out of a planned 120,000 direct job placements have been achieved through the Youth Employment Agency (YEA), representing 34% of the target.
Performance under the Ministry’s Training and Start-Up initiatives also lagged sharply. Of the 139,850 youth targeted for skills training and support into self-employment, only 8,913 have been assisted so far, equating to just 6.4% of the goal.
The figures suggest serious implementation shortfalls across two of the Ministry’s flagship intervention areas. No detailed explanation for the low performance was provided, but the Minister acknowledged the need to speed up delivery in order to meet broader employment commitments.
The Youth Employment Agency remains one of the government’s principal tools for tackling youth unemployment, with initiatives ranging from skills training and entrepreneurship support to direct job placement. However, the latest numbers underscore persistent challenges in execution and may raise concerns about resource availability, institutional coordination, and absorption capacity within the public and private sectors.
The Ministry has yet to announce any adjustment to programme timelines or targets in response to the underperformance.
