The Chief Executive Officer of the Youth Employment Agency (YEA), Malik Basintale, has emphasized the need for Ghana to expand employment opportunities beyond the public sector, stating that government jobs alone cannot accommodate the growing youth population.
Speaking on GHOne TV with Lily Mohammed, Basintale highlighted the limitations of the public sector in absorbing new job seekers and stressed the importance of developing the private sector.
“We have realized the fact that we cannot fully depend on public sector jobs because, obviously, the public sector may not be sufficient to accommodate all the younger generation coming up. So, we must delve into the private sector,” he said.
Basintale also backed President John Dramani Mahama’s proposed 24-hour economy, arguing that Ghana must shift from the traditional 8-hour work system to a round-the-clock approach that maximizes productivity.
“From 1957 to date, we’ve operated at an 8-hour corridor. What happens to the remaining 12 hours? We go back home and sleep. Yet, we still underproduce and continue to import in huge quantities,” he noted.
He expressed concern over Ghana’s high import dependency, revealing that the country recently imported mangoes worth over GHS 5 billion, onions valued at GHS 2 billion, and peppers amounting to GHS 1.5 billion. Even local consumables such as wɛlɛ (cowhide) are being imported.
Basintale urged policymakers and businesses to invest in local production and take advantage of the 24-hour economy model to create more jobs, reduce imports, and boost economic growth.
With youth unemployment remaining a major challenge, the YEA CEO reaffirmed his commitment to ensuring young people have access to sustainable job opportunities in both the public and private sectors.
