Private Sector Must Lead in Tackling Youth Unemployment – Dr Ishmael Norman
Security expert Ishmael Norman has cautioned that government alone cannot solve Ghana’s growing youth unemployment problem.
Speaking on PM Express on Joy News, Dr Norman stressed the need for a broader national strategy that involves the private sector in creating more jobs for young people entering the labour market.
The President of the Institute for Security, Disaster and Emergency Studies said efforts should focus on empowering businesses to expand and hire more workers.
“And I think if the executives put their heads together and Ghanaians put their heads together, we should be able to find ways to find jobs for the youth,” he stated.
Dr Norman suggested that one practical step would be for government to make loans more accessible and affordable for businesses and industry leaders to grow their operations.
“One of them is for government to make loans really reasonable to businesses, captains of industry, so they can expand their businesses,” he said.
He also explained that financing arrangements should allow companies time to stabilise before repayment begins.
“Long-term payment plan moratorium, you know, moratorium for about the first year you give ¢1 or ¢2 million, with an 18-month moratorium before they start to pay back,” he added.
According to him, such financial support would enable companies to scale up their operations and create more employment opportunities for young people