Unemployment figures alarming - John Boadu

John Boadu, the Acting General Secretary of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) has stated that the current unemployment figures are very alarming although the government is putting measures in place to curb the situation.

The figures of unemployment in Ghana has increased in a pace from 5.54% in 2015 to 5.77% in 2016.

The average increment in unemployment stood at 6.51% from 1991 to 2016, reaching 10.36% in the year 2000 and a low record of 3.60% in 2006.

However, Mr Boadu stated that the Youth Employment Agency (YEA) and NEIP are all some agencies put in place to provide solutions to the current unemployment crises.

"This government is trying to find a long-term solution to address this challenge, that is why we have put in so many measures so by the time we are done most Ghanaian unemployed youth would have been absorbed".

"Let also not forget that due to the poor economic administration of the NDC government, there was a ban or freeze on employment in the public sector by the IMF". He stated, saying it has contributed to the already existing problems.

"Like I said earlier on, that is why we are working to make the economy robust and resilient so that when we are out of the policies of the International Monetary Fund (IMF), government will be able to employ more of the employed youth in the country".

More than 1.2 million persons from 15 years and older are estimated to be unemployed, representing the total unemployment rate of 11.9%, according to the Labour Force Survey Report.

The 2015 Ghana Labour Force Survey Report commissioned by the Ghana Statistical Service (GSS) revealed that females were more likely to be unemployed than their male counterparts.