International Youth Day: It’s important for young people to harness their skills – Youth

Despite the government's effort to create jobs in the country, the unemployment rate is on the rise.

Young people especially do not get to contribute to national development as a result of the lack of opportunities.

Ghana, like other countries, has a major setback with employment. Youth representation and engagement is crucial in development but in most cases, they are held back due to unemployment. Only a few people can defy the odds and start-up a business that will guarantee them a chance to enjoy life while realizing their potentials.

To mark International Youth Day, GhanaWeb interacted with some young business owners who are using the opportunities available to develop their ideas and be better.

Youth engagement, they believed, is crucial in all aspect of development, but according to them, Ghana has not fully tapped into the large opportunities that young people can offer in both formal and informal sectors.

According to Jefferson Seneadza, founder of Aftown Experience Africa, “The job opportunities in Ghana is absolutely not enough” adding that “our school system is not designed for us to start our own business… it’s just for you to go to school and start a job”.

He, therefore, advised young people to develop their ideas while admonishing upcoming entrepreneurs to start their business with the little they have rather than looking up to others for assistance.

A graduate from the Ghana Institute of Journalism, Salia Muwiah, who is just a month away from completing his National Service attested that “there are opportunities in Ghana but they are limited, it is the case everywhere” adding that “opportunities are not just what the government provide but what you make for yourself.”

He believed that most young people feel entitled to jobs from the government and end up blaming leaders for their misfortunes.

Muwiah, however, admitted that “it is difficult getting a job in Ghana. I won’t say those who don’t have a job are not putting in an effort. If you don’t want to end up as an unemployed graduate, you need a side hustle so even after school when you don’t get a white colour job or support from the government, you will have something to fall on”.

On the back of young people venturing into entrepreneurship, the founder of Caveman Watches, Anthony Dzamefe, called on start-ups to focus more on building a stronger brand that can be locally and internationally accepted.

“You need to build a brand, it will bring you money later on… you will end up making a lot of bad decisions if your focus is just on money,” he said.

The theme for this year's International Youth Day 2020, “Youth Engagement for Global Action” seeks to highlight how the engagement of young people at the local, national and global levels is enriching national and multilateral institutions and processes.