Expedite action on bill to allocate 30% of public procurement to youth - GCYE to government

The Ghana Chamber of Young Entrepreneurs (GCYE) has called on government to make operational, a proposed legislation that is expected to bring relief to the youth and the vulnerable in the Ghanaian society.

The said legislation if enforced, would see the allocation of some thirty percent (30%) of all government funded procurement to the youth, women and people with disabilities.

CEO of the Ghana Chamber of Young Entrepreneurs, Sherif Ghali believes “such legislation when enforced would offer a window of opportunity to the targeted beneficiaries especially young entrepreneurs to fair and greater chance of winning procurement bids and executing the accompanying projects.”

According to Mr. Ghali, the young entrepreneurs would be able to accumulate enough capital to expand their businesses and invest in other areas offering job opportunities to their peers, thereby arresting the ever swelling unemployment situation.

Read below the full statement by the GCYE

GCYE calls on government to expedite action on the proposed legislation to allocate thirty percent of all public procurement to youth, women and PWDS

Sherif Ghali- CEO, Ghana Chamber of Young Entrepreneurs

In the wake of the ramifications of the escalating levels of unemployment and joblessness especially among the teeming youth of our dear nation Ghana, it is imperative for drastic and far reaching steps to be taken to arrest the situation before it gets out of hand. It is often said that the youth are the backbone of any nation desirous of development and progress. Indeed the youth are the future and not just the future leaders. As such, youth employment and empowerment must be given priority by all concerned stakeholders.

It is, therefore, appropriate and compelling for such stakeholders especially the state to create the requisite enabling environment for the youth to start up small to medium scale businesses with ease in order to support their own livelihood and eventually contribute to national development. There is no denying the fact that such support would drastically cut down on the levels of unemployment and the attendant consequences of crime and youth political vigilantism.

In the light of this, the Ghana Chamber of Young Entrepreneurs (GCYE) thinks it imperative to implore the government as well as all associated stakeholders to expedite action on the proposed legislation to allocate some thirty percent (30%) of all government funded procurement to the youth, women and people with disabilities. It is our considered opinion that such legislation when enforced would offer a window of opportunity to the targeted beneficiaries especially young entrepreneurs to fair and greater chance of winning procurement bids and executing the accompanying projects. In the process, such young entrepreneurs would be able to accumulate enough capital to expand their businesses and invest in other areas offering job opportunities to their peers thereby arresting the ever swelling unemployment situation.

It’s important to state that the legislation would equally save the vulnerable young entrepreneurs the bureaucratic, cumbersome and rigid procurement process that doesn’t favour starters. In order to give the young entrepreneurs the needed boost and confidence to chase their dream businesses, this proposed legislation would be a panacea in our view.

The Government, Parliament and the Public Procurement Authority must put their shoulders to the wheel and do the needful as far as this proposed legislation is concerned to save the millions of Ghanaian youth who are faced with exclusion as far as the existing procurement process is concerned.

By: Sherif Ghali

CEO, Ghana Chamber Of Young Entrepreneurs