Two-thirds of Ghanaians are in vulnerable employment – GSS

Government statistician, Professor Samuel Kobina Annim, has revealed that a significant portion of Ghana’s employed population, specifically two-thirds, is engaged in vulnerable employment.

The Annual Household Income and Expenditure Survey Quarter Three Labour Bulletin by the Ghana Statistical Service (GSS) highlighted that the average unemployment rate in the country had surged to 14.7 percent in the first three quarters of 2023.

Addressing Ghana’s current escalating unemployment rate of 14.7 percent during an interview in the media, Professor Annim expressed concern that the situation might be more challenging than unemployment figures suggest.

The Government’s statistician explained that a substantial portion of those employed in the Ghanaian economy face vulnerabilities in their employment status.

“When it comes to the Ghanaian economy, of those who are employed, two-thirds are in vulnerable employment.

"We have about 20,000 people who have been unemployed for a period of the seven quarters that we have and if you take the last six months, we have in excess of 1.3 million people who have stayed unemployed,” Professor Annim highlighted.

He is therefore calling for national conversations, which he says should be directed at finding ways to improve the conditions of service for the employed.

The Government’s statistician is urging policymakers to focus on crafting solutions that address the multifaceted challenges faced by the employed population.

“And with all these categorizations that we have in terms of the unemployment spell, we have tertiary holders as part of it so these are the details that I always encourage that conversations should be segued to so that policymakers will be directed in their thoughts on how to deal with the unemployment situation," he added.