Prof Atukwei Okai lauds National Job Summit

Professor Atukwei Okai, the Secretary-General of the Pan African Writers Association, has lauded government for organising the National Job Summit.

“Unemployment is a dangerous phenomenon. A serious country should work to see that all people are employed,” the General Secretary said and described the summit as very special because it sought to tackle one of the most critical aspects of national life.

Prof Okai who was speaking to the Ghana News Agency in Accra, observed that one cannot be a citizen of a nation in vacuum, adding: “You must be a worthily employed person.”

He said it is only when citizens are gainfully employed that they could contribute more meaningfully to the country’s socio-economic development.

Prof Okai said the poverty situation in the country could only be addressed through job creation for the people.

“It is good that the country has accepted the primacy of this job factor and is making a scientific, conscious and organised effort to address these factors,” he stated.

Prof Okai said the launch of the National Employment Policy by the government during the summit was a step in the right direction; which would become a key reference document for job creation strategies.

He said the document which has been accepted by stakeholders in the labour industry spells out the way forward to “ensure that we not just train people, but we train people in such a way that they are given the abilities and empowerment to be employable”.

Prof Okai urged government to continue to create the enabling environment for the success of private businesses; to give Ghanaians a great hope for a safe future.

The Ministry of Employment and Labour Relations organised the National Job Summit on the theme, “Inclusive growth through the creation of productive employment and decent work,” to among other things provide the platform for social partners, ministries, departments and agencies, metropolitan, municipal and district assemblies, the private sector and development partners to deliberate on unemployment and under-employment challenges in Ghana.