Youth Employment Through the Years: A Government Intervention Analysis (1992–2025)

By Nana Okogyedom ADOOFI (Ph.D)

\xa0Ghana, similar to numerous developing countries, encounters a major and ongoing issue in providing long-term job opportunities for its growing number of young people.

Over 57% of the country's population is younger than 25, and the youth unemployment rate has risen to around 32% (for those aged 15-24) as of June 2024, highlighting a demographic dividend that offers significant potential but also risks of unrest if not properly managed.¹

The problem of young people being unemployed has been a persistent challenge, with various governments acknowledging its significant impact on national security and economic and social balance.⁶

Since the beginning of its Fourth Republic in 1992, Ghana has implemented a range of policy measures and programmatic actions designed to tackle youth unemployment and underemployment. These initiatives have been carried out across different governments, with each introducing or modifying programs that aim to empower young individuals for the country's development.

This document conducts an in-depth review of these ongoing governmental actions, exploring their goals, methods of execution, observed results, and the persistent issues that have affected their success and long-term viability from 1992 until the anticipated scenario in 2025.

Through a thorough examination of the development of these policies and initiatives, this study aims to uncover consistent trends, structural challenges, and possible routes for creating stronger and more enduring youth employment strategies in Ghana.

1. Development of National Youth Policies and Structures

Ghana's strategy for nurturing young people and addressing job creation has been shaped by country-specific policies and planning structures, which have adapted over the years to meet shifting population trends and economic needs.

1. National Youth Policy (NYP) 2010

The 2010 National Youth Policy (NYP), which was officially introduced in August 2009, acted as a key document outlining the government's vision for its younger population. The policy carried the theme "Towards an empowered youth, impacting positively on national development."¹²The main purpose was to offer detailed guidance for all parties participating in the execution of policies, programs, and initiatives focused on youth growth. It also aimed to highlight Ghana's dedication to global agreements and charters concerning young people.¹²

The 2010 NYP aimed to promote "a motivated youth making positive contributions to national progress." To achieve this goal, various main objectives were identified: to encourage and engage Ghanaian youth in productive endeavors for personal, community, and national growth; to help every young individual realize their full potential and build self-worth; to establish youth involvement at all levels of decision-making to support democratic values; to promote the exchange and transfer of knowledge through local and global connections; to encourage creativity, innovation, and personal exploration; and to instill a strong feeling of independence, love for the country, national identity, and willingness to volunteer.¹²The policy considered youth as people between the ages of 15 and 35, a classification that aligned with the African Union's wider definition.³A major focus of the policy was "Youth in Modern Agriculture," acknowledging the sector's considerable impact on Ghana's Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and its capacity to generate jobs.¹²

Although it had broad goals, a major criticism of the 2010 NYP was that it did not undergo consistent updates. It stayed mostly unchanged for almost ten years, with critics stating that this made it progressively out-of-date due to the fast developments in technology and the changing requirements of youth in an ever-changing world.⁷This unchanging characteristic restricted its ability to adapt to modern issues and possibilities.

1. National Youth Policy 2022-2032

Acknowledging the shortcomings of its previous version, the Government of Ghana introduced a new National Youth Policy covering the years 2022-2032. This revised policy, titled “Benefit for youth involves youth; together for a prosperous future,” seeks to offer a more up-to-date and cohesive structure for youth development.¹⁸The main goal is to effectively utilize the potential of the nation's young people by developing prospects and steering the execution of appropriate initiatives and schemes.¹⁸

The 2022-2032 strategy aims to act as the main guide for all government agencies, the business community, and global development collaborators in their initiatives to foster the growth of youth in Ghana.¹⁸Its importance is highlighted by its direct connection to the government's larger economic plan, such as the Coordinated Programme of Economic and Social Development Policies (2021–2025) and the Medium-Term National Development Policy Framework (2022–2025).¹⁹This alignment indicates a more cohesive strategy for youth development, connecting it closely with the nation's economic growth and structural transformation goals. The revised policy recognizes the changing requirements of young people and seeks to promote sustainable collaborations with all involved parties to harness the innovative capabilities of Ghanaian youth.¹⁸

1. Significant State Actions (1992-2025): A Systematic Overview

Ghana's dedication to youth employment has been demonstrated through various direct initiatives, each featuring unique approaches, specific groups they aim to assist, and differing levels of effectiveness along with associated obstacles.

1. Initial Efforts (1990s – early 2000s)

The era after Ghana resumed constitutional governance involved early attempts to establish structured programs for youth employment.

Skill Development and Job Placement (STEP)

In 2001, the Kufuor government launched the Skills Training and Employment Placement (STEP) program. This effort aimed to equip young people with practical skills and generate job opportunities.⁶The emphasis of STEP on hands-on skill development served as a deliberate approach to tackle the increasing issue of joblessness among young people. Drawing from the lessons learned through STEP, the government expanded the Technical, Vocational, and Education Testing (TVET) Policy, with the goal of creating a more thorough and unified system to improve the proficiency of youth skills.⁶From 2006 to 2008, the Kufuor Administration stated that it involved 106,000 young people through different programs, such as agri-business, community safety, health extension, and educational support.⁶

Nevertheless, assessments of skills development initiatives, including those within the larger STEP framework, such as the N4G program, showed varied results. Although N4G, for example, included effective design elements like classroom and practical training, focusing on underprivileged youth, and pairing training with guidance and financial support, it did not result in substantial enhancements in key labor market outcomes (employment, working hours, income) for the typical participant.²¹

Although the average effect sizes were consistently positive, the coefficients did not reach statistical significance. However, the program still led to occupational sorting, with participants more inclined to work in their area of expertise, and it enhanced job quality (e.g., written contracts, access to medical benefits).²¹A significant finding from these assessments was that program stakeholders frequently had excessively positive initial expectations regarding the program's effects, which remained largely unchanged even when confronted with evidence of limited success.²¹This inclination to exaggerate the effectiveness of programs may impede flexible programming and sustain ineffective approaches.

Rural Enterprise Programme (REP)

The Rural Enterprise Programme (REP), launched in 1995, is a sustained effort designed to alleviate poverty and enhance living conditions in rural regions through the promotion of micro and small businesses (MSEs).²²The initiative has progressed through three stages, with REP III (2012-2020) aimed at expanding the influence of previous phases and integrating with Ghana's industrial strategy to promote economic variety and job growth.²⁷REP's framework is based on three key themes: availability of business development services (BDS), transfer of technology via skill-based training and practical demonstrations, and availability of financial resources.²⁵

The REP has shown substantial beneficial effects. It has enhanced the living standards of small and medium enterprise owners, resulting in more employment opportunities and higher earnings. For example, a field survey revealed that clients' average monthly income rose from GHȻ455.00 to GHȻ755.00 following REP assistance.²³REP III alone was projected to generate 100,000 new employment opportunities.²⁷The initiative has also played a key role in facilitating the exchange of skills, by training 4,393 master artisans and 17,538 apprentices, with numerous participants later launching their own successful enterprises.²³In addition, the REP has played a positive role in advancing women's empowerment, providing rural women with literacy training and boosting their entrepreneurial capabilities, resulting in higher income levels and better overall quality of life.²⁴The program's achievements in certain regions, like the Garu-Tempane District, where women made up half of the clients and were prominently involved in new businesses and job opportunities, highlights its focused impact.²⁸

Although there were achievements, difficulties remained, especially regarding access to inexpensive funding and the expensive nature of inputs for female business owners.²⁵The program's dependence on connections with involved financial institutions underscores the significance of a strong financial environment for continuous entrepreneurial development.

1. National Youth Employment Initiative (NYEP) and Its Development (2005-2015)

The early 2000s introduced a major program aimed at youth employment, which would experience major changes.

National Youth Employment Initiative (NYEI)

The National Youth Employment Programme (NYEP) was launched in 2005 and formally opened in October 2006 under the leadership of John Kufuor. The main goal of the initiative was to tackle the growing issue of youth unemployment, which was seen as a possible risk to national security.⁶The New Youth Employment Program was created as a temporary solution to offer short-term support and engage young people in acquiring fundamental skills and fostering entrepreneurship.⁶The initiative sought to generate 500,000 self-employment and salaried positions over a three-year period (2006-2009).³¹As of February 2011, it was reported that the NYEP had successfully recruited, trained, and hired 108,000 young people across the country.¹⁶

However, from the beginning, the NYEP functioned without legal support, operating under the Office of the President.⁶The absence of a necessary legal, institutional, and operational structure turned out to be a major obstacle to its efficiency and long-term viability.³⁰Assessments and research repeatedly showed that the program had little effect on tackling the broader issue of youth unemployment.¹⁷Obstacles involved its unsustainable model, relying heavily on government support without a defined plan to help recipients secure long-term jobs, regular delays in wage disbursements, and widespread political involvement that caused inefficiencies.¹¹The initiative faced backlash as an "elite-imposed plan" with minimal involvement from the young people it aimed to assist, resulting in lost chances for better planning and execution.³³

Ghana Youth Employment and Entrepreneurship Agency (GYEEDA)

In October 2012, the NYEP was renamed and repositioned as the Ghana Youth Employment and Entrepreneurial Agency (GYEEDA) under a new government, aiming to incorporate entrepreneurial skills training into its responsibilities.⁶Nevertheless, the broadening of its scope, lacking appropriate legal and structural systems, worsened current vulnerabilities.

The GYEEDA period was linked to a significant corruption case, exposing extensive financial misconduct and poor management.⁶A committee tasked with evaluating ministerial impact was established in 2013 to look into misconduct, which revealed that "millions of cedis intended for training initiatives were improperly handled," transforming the agency into a "source of profit for those with political connections."¹¹

Notable challenges recognized comprised an insufficient institutional/legal system, lack of a supervisory board, unclear organizational setup, weak corporate governance, insufficient hiring processes (resulting in unqualified staff and fraudulent certificates), and significant financial control problems such as absence of budgeting, inconsistent financial reports, and incorrect distribution of statutory funds.³⁰The report also pointed out the repetition of programs with other organizations such as COTVET and NVTI, along with an absence of effective cost-benefit assessments.³⁰The controversy highlighted the significant effect of political involvement and administrative shortcomings on the program's reliability and success.¹¹

Youth Employment Agency (YEA)

After the GYEEDA scandal and the pressing demand for change, the Youth Employment Agency (YEA) was created under the Youth Employment Act 2015 (Act 887), which was approved in March 2015, offering the essential legal foundation that its earlier versions did not have.⁶The YEA's responsibility is to manage, coordinate, monitor, and support the employment of young people in Ghana, with the aim of generating job opportunities across the country.^6\xa0 The YEA has maintained involvement with a large number of participants. By October 2022, the YEA had reached 80,735 individuals through its different programs, aiming to involve 124,500 people in 2023.³⁸The organization offers temporary work and seeks to link individuals with lasting career prospects via its Job Portals and Job Centres.³⁷It also provides an "Exit-Fund" for Community Protection Assistants (CPAs) upon completion of their two-year program, and has introduced a "Work Abroad Programme" to create global employment and skill development prospects for young people in Ghana, in line with SDG 8 (Decent Work) and SDG 10.7 (Orderly Migration).³⁹

Although there is a legal structure in place, YEA still encounters difficulties. These consist of limited financial support and holdups in receiving required funds, insufficient supplies and transportation for those in need, and lags in distributing allowances.³⁷Persistent issues include political involvement and a very centralized management structure.³²Notably, the agency saw a major decrease in the number of beneficiaries, dropping from 472,979 in 2013 (under GYEEDA) to 62,825 in 2016, primarily because of structural deficiencies.¹⁰This variation underscores the continuous challenge of ensuring steady visibility and influence, despite legal requirements.

1. Current and Upcoming Actions (2017-2025)

Recent governments have launched new programs and structures, typically based on previous experiences or suggesting innovative methods to address ongoing youth joblessness.

Nation Builders Corps (NABCO)

Introduced in 2018, the Nation Builders Corps (NABCO) was a key initiative designed to deploy university graduates into different government agencies, offering them a monthly allowance.¹¹The initiative involved nearly 100,000 young people each year and reached across the country.⁴² However, NABCO was mainly intended as a short-term solution. A major critique was its absence of a defined route to long-term employment.¹¹Following the expiration of their contracts, thousands of recipients were once again in the jobless group, having little to demonstrate from their previous work.¹¹This result led to disappointment among young people, as the program failed to provide opportunities for long-term professional growth.

YouStart Initiative

The YouStart Initiative, introduced in the 2022 budget speech, is a key project of the Ghanaian government, backed by the World Bank's Ghana Youth Employment and Entrepreneurship in Productive Sectors (YES) Programme for Results (PforR).⁹Its bold goal is to generate one million employment opportunities within the economy over a five-year period (2022-2027), with a particular focus on addressing the increase in youth unemployment that has occurred since the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic.⁹

YouStart seeks to empower young entrepreneurs by offering financial, technical, and guidance support. The PforR section focuses on foreign and local investors along with their staff (approximately 60% expected to be under 30), recent graduates participating in industry-based training programs (with a minimum of 30% being women), and young business owners between the ages of 18 and 40 (at least 50% women, 5% individuals with disabilities).⁹

The main approach is carried out via the District Entrepreneurship Programme (DEP), with a planned budget of GHS3 billion. This includes a mix of training, skill development, Business Development Services (BDS), market access and technology support, along with business grants.⁹Important stakeholders consist of the Ministry of Finance (MoF), Ministry of Trade and Industry (MOTI), Ghana Enterprises Agency (GEA), and National Entrepreneurship and Innovation Programme (NEIP).⁹The initiative also backs industries with significant growth prospects, including Automotive, Pharmaceutical, and Garments and Textiles sectors, with the goal of drawing in investments and promoting exports.⁹

Ghana Women and Youth Employment and Social Cohesion (GWYESCO) National Program

The GWYESCO Programme, aimed at enhancing women's and youth employment and promoting social cohesion in Ghana, is set to run from 2026 to 2028. This initiative is being developed by the African Development Bank (AfDB) in partnership with the Ghanaian government.¹⁹Its main goal is to improve the resilience and quality of life for women and young people by promoting economic participation and social unity, encouraging employment opportunities, business development, access to financial resources, and training.¹⁹ GWYESCO will concentrate on three main result areas: training to boost income and job opportunities, better access to financial resources and markets for women and young people who own Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs), and strengthening organizational capabilities along with policy changes.¹⁹

The initiative is closely coordinated with ongoing governmental reforms, such as the Ghana Enterprises Agency (GEA) Act, 2020, the creation of the Ministry of Youth Development and Empowerment, and key economic initiatives including the Big Push, Adwumawura Programme, and the National Apprenticeship Programme.¹⁹Its emphasis on practical and technical education, business and digital abilities, and community unity in unstable areas such as Northern Ghana highlights a well-rounded strategy for tackling complex issues.¹⁹

24-Hour Economic Policy

A promising approach that is becoming more popular is the suggested 24-Hour Economic Policy, aimed at realizing Ghana's complete economic capacity and greatly increasing job prospects, especially for young people.¹This strategy seeks to enable critical industries—like manufacturing, healthcare, retail, transport, logistics, ICT, tourism, and hospitality—to function in continuous shifts throughout the day.¹

The policy's goals regarding young people's employment are varied:

• Job Creation:Ongoing operations require several shifts, naturally leading to more job opportunities, particularly in industries where young people are already involved, including call centers, delivery services, media creation, security, healthcare, and online assistance roles.¹
• Entrepreneurship Opportunities:The policy aims to encourage business innovation by increasing the need for locally made products, thereby decreasing dependence on imports (such as large amounts of food, grains, and sugar). This encourages emerging business methods, especially in the freelance and online sectors, which many young Ghanaians are already investigating.¹
• Upskilling and Digital Inclusion:Satisfying the needs of a 24/7 economy will necessitate significant funding for vocational and digital skill development, creating chances for young people to gain skills relevant to the future, such as programming, AI, digital marketing, and network security.¹

Nevertheless, putting this policy into action poses considerable difficulties, such as the requirement for improvements in energy stability, public transit, internet access, and security systems. Changes to current labor regulations to support night shifts and overcoming cultural opposition to nighttime economic endeavors are also expected.¹Its achievement depends on a strong collaborative strategy that includes government, business sector, and public-private collaborations.¹

1. Analysis of Themes in Intervention Approaches

Ghana's approaches to youth employment, although varied, generally focus on a few main strategic areas. A review of these topics highlights ongoing initiatives as well as continuing difficulties.

1. Promotion of Skills and Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET)

A key and long-standing focus in various government actions has been the promotion of skill-building, especially via Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET).¹Organizations such as the National Vocational Training Institute (NVTI), Council for Technical and Vocational Training (COTVET), and the Youth Employment Agency (YEA) have continuously aimed to offer vocational, technical, business, and digital training to improve job readiness.⁹For example, COTVET's National Apprenticeship Programme (NAP) sought to equip young school dropouts with practical skills, training 2,394 apprentices during its initial phase (2011-2013).⁵²The YouStart program also focuses on education and skill development to support young business owners.⁹

Nevertheless, considerable difficulties remain in the field of skill enhancement. A major problem is the ongoing gap between the skills gained via the education system and the real needs of the job market.³This discrepancy is partially due to a weak connection between schools and the business world, inadequate vocational counseling, and a lack of STEM graduates in contrast to an excess in humanities.⁴In addition, assessments of TVET institutions indicate weak or nonexistent quality control mechanisms, insufficient teaching and learning resources, and a shortage of skilled technical educators, which impede the delivery of essential knowledge and abilities.⁴²Several programs also provide restricted chances for young individuals to refresh and enhance their abilities and technology within a swiftly evolving job market.¹⁰High levels of illiteracy among certain participants present difficulties for the implementation of effective teaching methods.⁵⁴

The results of skill development initiatives have varied. Although certain research indicates that involvement can enhance income and living conditions for youth, thorough impact assessments, including those for the N4G program (a component of STEP), have revealed minimal direct gains in key employment indicators such as total employment rates or income levels for the typical participant.¹⁷Nevertheless, these initiatives have shown beneficial impacts on job placement, encouraging people to pursue work within their area of expertise, and have enhanced employment conditions by providing better access to written agreements and healthcare benefits.²¹This implies that although skill development might not consistently lead to immediate, widespread job opportunities, it can improve the standard and appropriateness of employment for those who benefit.

1. Business Ownership and Availability of Funding

Encouraging business ownership and improving access to financial resources have remained key approaches to tackle youth unemployment, especially considering the restricted ability of the formal public sector to accommodate the increasing number of job seekers.¹Programs such as the YouStart Programme, the National Entrepreneurship Innovation Programme (NEIP), and elements of the Rural Enterprise Programme (REP) have concentrated on offering training in entrepreneurship and digital skills, business development services (BDS), and financial assistance.⁸For instance, the YouStart program provides interest-free loans, initial kits, and opportunities to reach markets and utilize technology, aiming to generate one million employment positions within five years.⁹

Although there is a significant focus on starting businesses, obtaining affordable funding continues to be a major obstacle for young people looking to start their own ventures.²⁰Numerous initiatives, despite providing instruction, fail to offer enough assistance or guidance on obtaining financial resources, or they are insufficient in providing initial capital for participants to launch their businesses.¹⁷For example, the Graduate Entrepreneurial Business Support Scheme (GEBSS) ceased operations because of insufficient financial backing, highlighting the susceptibility of these programs to monetary limitations.¹⁰In addition, certain young individuals have lofty and impractical expectations about how quickly they can gain wealth through starting a business, which may result in disappointment if rapid success does not materialize.⁵⁵

The private sector is generally seen as the main driver of economic development and employment in Ghana, making up 92% of the overall labor force.⁷Nevertheless, collaborations between the public and private sectors in addressing youth employment have been restricted, and current policies have not adequately outlined the private sector's involvement.⁴²Although private sector efforts frequently offer high-quality, well-supported entrepreneurial programs along with competitive funding and guidance, their scope is usually restricted, focusing mainly on urban areas and being less available to young people in rural regions.⁴²This emphasizes the importance of enhanced cooperation between the government and the business community to build a more resilient and accessible environment for entrepreneurship.⁷

1. Formal versus Informal Type of Work

The scene of young people's jobs in Ghana is largely shaped by the informal market. Around 80.5% of jobs in the private sector are found within the informal sector.⁵⁵Many young individuals, particularly those who have not pursued higher education, often find that the informal sector and farming provide their sole employment opportunities, as the growth in formal sector job openings fails to match the rising number of people seeking work.⁴⁶

Work in the informal economy is marked by unstable jobs, inconsistent income, and reduced job stability.⁵⁵Although individuals aged 25 to 35 generally gain more advantages from working in the private formal sector, a large portion of younger individuals, including teenagers and those in their early 20s, are involved in the informal economy.⁵⁵Government initiatives such as the Youth Employment Agency (YEA) offer certain types of wage-based jobs within the formal economy, working alongside various ministries, departments, and agencies (MDAs).⁴⁶Nevertheless, the broader approach requires a unified push to enhance and institutionalize the informal sector via enabling legislation and policies, thus generating more secure and dignified employment prospects.⁷This structure is essential for enhancing workplace environments, securing higher wages, and offering social safeguards to a significant portion of young workers.

1. Key Issues Affecting Sustainable Youth Employment

Although there have been ongoing government initiatives and substantial funding, achieving sustainable youth employment in Ghana continues to be difficult because of various deep-rooted, widespread issues.

1. Government, Collaboration, and Economic Politics

A long-standing structural problem involves the division and repetition of comparable youth employment initiatives among different Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs).³For example, the Youth Employment Agency (YEA), Rural Enterprise Support Programme (REP), and the Council for Technical and Vocational Training (COTVET) each provide training and apprenticeship opportunities for young people, but these initiatives are managed by separate government departments.⁷This absence of proper collaboration results in poor distribution of resources, reduced effectiveness, and a disjointed strategy for addressing a comprehensive national issue.³

The success of initiatives has been greatly undermined by political involvement and weak administration. Numerous projects have "crumbled due to inadequate planning, poor management, and political tricks".¹¹The history of the National Youth Employment Programme (NYEP) and its follow-up, the Ghana Youth Employment and Entrepreneurial Agency (GYEEDA), clearly highlights these challenges. From the start, NYEP/GYEEDA did not have a strong legal and institutional foundation, resulting in an "unclear/insufficient organizational structure," "weak corporate governance," "inadequate hiring processes," and significant "poor/insufficient financial management."³⁰The GYEEDA controversy, in which "millions of cedis designated for training initiatives were mishandled," turned the organization into a "source of profit for those with political ties."¹¹This episode clearly shows how political strategies and administrative failures can misdirect resources and weaken the core objectives of public initiatives.

A key insight from these actions is the consistent trend where each new administration often discards the prior effort and gives it a fresh label.¹¹This method of constantly changing direction, influenced by political convenience and the wish of new governments to take credit for projects, results in serious adverse effects. It causes a major loss of resources and organizational expertise, as insights gained from past efforts are ignored instead of being used as a foundation.¹¹

This absence of ongoing development and progressive enhancement leads to core structural problems, like inadequate planning, improper management, and graft, remaining unresolved and instead resurfacing with different labels.¹¹Even organizations such as YEA, which have legal support, still encounter difficulties linked to "party politics, a highly centralized administrative system, corruption, and insufficient funding."³²Focusing on immediate, noticeable actions rather than long-term, continuous strategic growth significantly hinders the chance of attaining lasting youth employment. Genuine sustainability demands political agreement and a dedication to a national plan that goes beyond election periods, ensuring steady policy execution, flexible learning, and the building of institutional knowledge. Without this, Ghana will keep initiating "showy programs and initiatives... only for them to fail due to inadequate planning, poor management, and political tricks."⁵⁷

1. Funding and Long-Term Viability

The long-term financial viability of youth employment initiatives in Ghana poses another major obstacle. Many programs depend largely on public support, typically created without a defined strategy to help participants secure lasting positions within the private sector.¹¹This establishes a reliance on state funds and sparks significant worries regarding their sustained feasibility.

Poor and uneven financial support remains a common issue. Initiatives such as YEA often face "lack of funding and delays in receiving required funds".³⁷For instance, the Graduate Entrepreneurial Business Support Scheme (GEBSS) ceased operations in 2014 primarily because of insufficient financial resources, illustrating how monetary limitations can hinder successful projects.¹⁰Government initiatives in the public sector often face challenges due to "limited and inconsistent financial support," which hinders their capacity to expand or sustain activities efficiently.⁴²

There is also a significant absence of long-term investment in participants after their initial training. Numerous initiatives fail to offer adequate assistance with "seed funding to launch the business" or provide ongoing support following the training.¹⁷This implies that even with the acquisition of initial skills, the financial system required to support ongoing entrepreneurial efforts or long-term jobs is insufficient, causing many trained young people to struggle in applying their new abilities to create sustainable incomes.

A significant point regarding financing is the common occurrence of what might be called the "temporary solution" dilemma. The frequent portrayal of initiatives such as NABCO as a "temporary solution"¹¹and the ongoing criticism that initiatives do not have "exit plans"⁴²or "routes to long-term employment"¹¹highlights a fundamental problem in the structure and purpose of numerous initiatives. When governments face pressure to tackle high unemployment rates, they often choose temporary, large-scale job programs that offer quick, noticeable assistance but fail to create long-term career opportunities. This strategy is typically combined with "limited and inconsistent government financial support"⁴², making long-term planning and investment inherently challenging. The result is that thousands of young people end up "back in the unemployment pool"¹¹Once their temporary contracts end, it leads to widespread disappointment and a sense of hopelessness among the intended group. This "temporary fix" approach hinders Ghana from developing a strong and stable labor market. Rather than tackling the underlying issues of unemployment, like skill gaps or lack of growth in the formal sector, these initiatives mainly deal with surface-level problems. A significant change is needed to create programs that offer clear, adequately funded, and coordinated long-term routes to lasting employment or business opportunities, instead of just offering temporary support.

1. Missing Data and Assessment Shortcomings

A significant obstacle hindering successful policy development and program modification is the lack of structured records and thorough assessment of programs aimed at youth employment.³There is typically a lack of empirical evidence regarding the real effects of both public and private sector initiatives due to the absence of regular and thorough assessments.⁴²

In particular, there is a significant lack of tracking studies, which are essential for monitoring participants after they leave programs to evaluate their long-term job prospects, income fluctuations, and general quality of life.⁴²Without these studies, it is very challenging to determine the actual effectiveness and long-term viability of interventions after they have been implemented. Additionally, data regarding important cost factors, like cost per participant and operational and capital expenses throughout the program's duration, is scarce, which limits cost-benefit evaluations and optimal distribution of resources.⁴²The effects of modern or enhanced apprenticeship approaches, including those introduced via initiatives like the Youth Inclusive Entrepreneurial Development Initiative for Employment (YIEDIE), frequently go unmeasured, hindering the development of data-driven expansion or imitation.⁴²

Adding to these evaluation shortcomings is a dated and ineffective labor market information system (LMIS).⁴This shortcoming indicates an absence of consistent, prompt, precise, and detailed information regarding young job applicants based on location, gender, skills, and competencies.⁴This data is essential for guiding policy and financial decisions, as well as for creating suitable and customized employment programs that address particular market demands and demographic conditions. The LMIS is currently not effective in linking job seekers with potential employers and supplying the required statistics for efficient policy evaluation.⁴

A key point to note is the limitations in policy caused by insufficient use of data for adaptation. The ongoing failure to perform thorough assessments and tracking studies, along with an ineffective system for labor market information, leads to major gaps in knowledge for those making policy decisions. This lack of strong empirical evidence means that officials often make choices without a clear grasp of which interventions are effective, for whom, and the reasons behind their success.⁷

This lack of capability impedes flexible programming, in which policies and initiatives are consistently improved using performance data. As a result, ineffective labor market strategies may continue, and funds might be regularly directed towards programs that fail to produce the intended long-term results, causing inefficient spending and ongoing high levels of youth unemployment.⁷This absence of a data-driven method sustains a pattern of experimentation without certainty, instead of a planned, knowledge-based path toward long-term opportunities for young people in the workforce.

1. Conclusions and Recommendations
2. Synthesized Conclusions

A review of government actions in Ghana between 1992 and 2025 highlights a continuous effort to tackle youth unemployment, an essential socio-economic goal due to the country's young population. For more than thirty years, Ghana has introduced various programs, starting with early projects such as STEP and REP, and moving on to newer ones like YouStart and the upcoming 24-Hour Economy policy. These measures have consistently sought to offer skill development, encourage business creation, and generate employment opportunities, achieving notable participant numbers and some favorable effects on living standards and income, especially in rural areas.

Nevertheless, a consistent pattern of difficulties has greatly weakened the durability and lasting impact of these initiatives. These problems are strongly tied to matters of governance, financial support, and data handling. The repetitive cycle of policy, marked by the renaming or discarding of earlier projects with every new administration, has resulted in a significant loss of resources and expertise. This "turnover" method hinders the development of continuous advancement and the gradual improvement of programs through accumulated experience.

Moreover, numerous initiatives have ended up in a "quick fix" dilemma, offering temporary relief without defined, adequately supported routes to lasting jobs or viable business ventures, resulting in disappointment among those involved who frequently return to unemployment. In addition, the widespread absence of structured impact assessments, follow-up research, and a functional labor market information system creates significant gaps in decision-making. Without strong data, it is challenging to recognize genuinely effective programs, modify initiatives to meet changing market demands, or guarantee responsibility for public funding, thus maintaining a pattern of less-than-ideal results.

The potential offered by Ghana's demographic dividend is still very large. However, the ongoing high levels of youth unemployment and underemployment highlight the critical need for a major change in strategy. If not tackled, this issue represents a serious risk to national security and sustained economic growth.

1. Suggestions for Eco-Friendly Opportunities for Young People

To escape the pattern of short-term solutions and attain lasting youth employment, the following suggestions are proposed:

1. Policy Cohesion and Continuity:Ghana needs to create and adopt a national, non-partisan plan for youth employment that goes beyond political terms. This plan should be established through well-defined legal structures and institutional responsibilities, making sure that key goals and effective initiatives are maintained and expanded, instead of being discarded or rebranded with each new administration.⁷This involves building political agreement and a sustained perspective on the growth of human resources.
2. Strengthen Governance and Accountability:Establish strong financial controls, open hiring processes, and efficient performance evaluation systems across all youth employment organizations. Insights gained from previous issues, especially the GYEEDA scandal, should guide the creation of strict accountability measures to avoid misuse and corruption.¹¹This involves strengthening supervisory authorities and making sure that hiring is done based on ability and qualification.
3. Prioritize Private Sector-Led Growth:Identify and actively support the private sector as the main driver of sustainable employment. This includes establishing a more favorable business climate, encouraging strong public-private collaborations for extensive incubators and accelerators, and providing benefits for industries to employ, educate, and keep young employees.⁴Strategies must explicitly outline the private sector's supporting role in generating employment opportunities.
4. Demand-Driven Skills Development:Consistently adjust educational programs, particularly in Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET), to match the changing needs of the job market. This involves regular evaluation of skill gaps, increasing access to high-quality internships and up-to-date apprenticeships, and making substantial investments in digital skill development (such as programming, artificial intelligence, and network security).¹A thorough approach to career guidance and support must be incorporated into the educational framework to more effectively assist young people in preparing for their move into the workforce.
5. Enhanced Entrepreneurial Ecosystem:Go beyond simply offering loans to young business owners. Create a complete entrepreneurial environment that involves ongoing guidance, enables access to markets and technology, and offers thorough business support services.¹Prioritize aiding eco-friendly independent work and legitimizing successful informal business initiatives.
6. Robust Monitoring and Evaluation:Create a thorough, unified labor market information system (LMIS) that can deliver detailed, up-to-the-minute data regarding the availability and need for labor.³Conduct routine, independent impact assessments and tracking studies for every youth employment initiative to evaluate their lasting effects, efficiency, and guide flexible policy changes. This data-driven method is essential for moving past assumptions and guaranteeing that funds are allocated to strategies that clearly produce lasting outcomes.
7. Authentic Involvement of Young People and Community Members:Promote active engagement of young individuals in the planning, execution, and assessment of initiatives designed to support them. This goes beyond superficial involvement to true collaboration, utilizing the enthusiasm, innovation, and distinct viewpoints of youth.¹¹Encourage involvement at the community level to make sure initiatives are suitable for the local environment and meet specific regional requirements, especially in remote regions.

By carefully tackling these structural issues and implementing a long-term, data-driven, and cooperative strategy, Ghana can turn its youthful population from a possible problem into a strong force for robust, fair, and lasting economic growth.

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The author is the Manwerehen of the Abeadze Traditional State.

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