The Ghana Statistical Service last week released unemployment figures for the 3rd quarter of 2023 as part of its quarterly labour statistics report. Unemployed persons according to the GSS are persons 15 years or older who 7 days prior to the survey although are economically active, that is, available and willing to work, did not work or had no work to go to. The unemployment rate therefore is a ratio of the number of unemployed persons to the economically active population of the country.
So, what exactly was our unemployment situation as a country as at the 3rd quarter of 2023? Take a walk with me.
As at the 3rd quarter of 2023 according to the GSS, although nearly 12 million Ghanaians were employed, some 2 million and 60 thousand Ghanaians were unemployed. This represents an unemployment rate of 14.7%. Unemployment was highest in the Greater Accra region standing at 25.7% impling 1 out of every 4 economically active person you see in the capital is unemployed. The Ashanti and Western regions recorded an unemployment rate in excess of 16% while the Oti region had the least unemployment rate of 6.4%.
From a gender perspective, Unemployment rate is higher amongst females with 17.7% of economically active females unemployed as compared to the 10.9% unemployment rate amongst males. Unemployment rate of both females and males in Greater Accra exceed 20% standing at 28.6% and 21.7% respectively.
Additionally, an economically active person in an urban area is 2 times more likely to be unemployed than one from a rural area. With rural unemployment rate at 9.8%, the urban unemployment rate sits at 18.3%
Youth unemployment has also seen a surge per the latest figures. In the first 3 quarters of 2022, the average number of unemployed youths, that is economically active person between the age of 15-35 stood at some 1.1 million, equivalent to an unemployment rate of 20%. By the end of third quarter of 2023, however nearly 1.4 million youth were unemployed, putting the youth unemployment rate at 21.7%.
The report also revealed that half a million people who were employed at the end of 2022, became unemployed by the 3rd quarter of 2023 adding that although about 12 million Ghanaians were employed, nearly 70% of the employment were deemed vulnerable, lacking decent working conditions, adequate social security, amongst others.
Finally, of those who have consistently remained unemployed over the last 2 years, nearly 25% have had at least tertiary education indicating, educated unemployed persons are likely to have a longer unemployment spell.
Source: Ghana/Starrfm.com.gh/103.5FM/Edem Kojo
