The National Democratic Congress (NDC) has announced its intention to generate 1.7 million jobs if successful in the upcoming December 7th general elections.
This plan was outlined in a policy document released by the party’s Employment and Jobs Creation Committee on October 14, 2024.
The NDC aims to accomplish this goal between 2025 and 2029 in order to provide employment opportunities for the vast number of graduates emerging from universities annually.
Please see below for the complete policy details.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
NDC UNVEILS COMPREHENSIVE STRATEGY TO CREATE 1.7 MILLION JOBS FOR GHANAIANS, CALLS OUT NPP ON THE MOUNTING UNEMPLOYMENT CRISIS
The National Democratic Congress today announced the comprehensive Employment and Jobs creation strategy for a John Mahama presidency. The NDC will create 1.7 million jobs between 2025 and 2029. This will absorb the expected 300 thousand yearly entrants into the workforce and reduce current unemployment levels by 120,000 of each year. The Party’s Employment and Jobs Creation committee announced this in a briefing today in Accra.
NDC will achieve these targets despite the debilitating employment deficit and economic crisis that the NPP will leave behind come 7th January 2025, through a strategy resting on five pillars. We call this strategy MAN-UP-C:
- M – Modernise and revamp employment institutions and legislation focused on job creation;
- A – “Aspire 24” programme to reorient employer and employee mindsets’;
- N – “National Employment Trust” to mobilise resources for a concerted jobs push;
- UP – “Levelling Up” programme to ensure inclusiveness in employment; and
- C – Coordination through a high-level “National Employment Coordination Committee”
The Truth About Unemployment
During a media event on August 25, 2024, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, the presidential candidate for NPP, reiterated his statement regarding the creation of 2.3 million jobs by the NPP in a span of 7 years and emphasized the declining rate of unemployment.
He provided no supporting evidence for his assertions as they prove to be false. Unemployment rates are rising nationwide, leading to a surge in poverty, despair, and hopelessness. According to the Ghana Statistical Service’s Annual Household Income and Expenditure Survey, 2.1 million Ghanaians, equivalent to 14.7% of the labor force, are currently without employment.
The number of unemployed individuals has risen by over 1 million since 2017. The unemployment rate rose from 8.3% in 2017 to 14.7% in 2023. The reality is that many individuals in the workforce struggle to make a living.
Out of the 11.2 million individuals employed in 2023, approximately 8.2 million (nearly 70%) are engaged in precarious employment characterized by low wages, lack of social security coverage, and unfavorable working environments. They are ensnared in an endless cycle of poverty. This category is referred to as the “working poor.” This is a factual statement.
Furthermore, from 2017 to 2023, Ghana’s economy typically provided employment to less than 45% of new entrants into the labor market annually. The NPP-led economy resulted in an annual increase of over 170,000 individuals becoming unemployed.
The NPP’s eight-year tenure resulted in a net increase in unemployment rather than employment. The number of unemployed Ghanaians has increased from 1 million in 2017 to 2.1 million by 2023. The reality is that 7.3 million Ghanaians, constituting 24.5% of the population, are considered multi-dimensionally poor.
Additionally, a staggering 8.4 million individuals experience daily food insecurity. This is an uncomfortable reality.
Dr. Bawumia’s statistics are misleading. They underestimate the intellect of 56% of annual new labor force entrants who are unable to secure jobs, leading to millions enduring severe unemployment. This includes 1.3 million young individuals categorized as “Not in Education, Employment, or Training” (NEET).
The Negative Consequences of NPP’s Unemployment Crisis
The truth is that the economic growth touted by NPP has not been accompanied by job creation. Our “growth” is reflective of excessive borrowing and tax burdens, rather than productivity. Our graduates flow from tertiary and specialized training institutions only to enter the realm of the unemployed. Our artisans, farmers, and entrepreneurs are facing a loss of livelihoods due to widespread inflation eroding the value of their modest incomes and hindering job creation opportunities.
The NDC Job Creation Strategy outlined by President John Dramani Mahama and the NDC aims to rectify the disappointing employment outcomes under the NPP government. Our strategy is based on five distinct pillars.
We will enhance the Legal and Institutional Environment to expedite the creation of quality jobs. The following initiatives will be prioritized for implementation: acceleration of the Ghana Labour Market Information System, conversion of the Labour Bill 2024 into an Employment Act to supersede the current Labour Act 2023, and establishment of a Bilateral Labour migration framework to facilitate safe, orderly, and regular migration of Ghanaian workers to other countries while ensuring the protection of human rights and fundamental labour rights.
Additionally, the ‘Aspire 24’ program will be launched to equip Ghanaian workers and businesses with the necessary skills, work ethic, and incentives to succeed in the 24-hour Economy. A National Employment Trust (NET) will be established to work with Enterprise Support Organizations in providing financial and technical assistance to start-ups and growing SMEs, fostering job creation and economic growth in Ghana.
The ‘Levelling-Up’ program will also be implemented to. The initiatives to be implemented include the establishment of the Women’s Bank, pension reform for informal sector workers, and provision of digital skills for persons with disabilities.
Additionally, the National Employment Coordination Committee will be established with representatives from various sectors to assist the Minister of Employment in coordination and implementation efforts. The challenges in developing a strong employment ecosystem in the current economic climate are well recognized. However, these obstacles can be overcome.
Through strategic and thorough policy measures focused on the 24-hour economy, our objective is to generate 1.7 million new jobs from 2025 to 2029 and gradually bring down unemployment to less than 5% by 2034, if not sooner. A supplementary booklet accompanies this announcement, offering additional information on our comprehensive strategy for promoting job growth.
The administration of Mahama will swiftly implement impactful, pragmatic measures to revitalize the economy and generate employment opportunities for both the unemployed and new entrants to the workforce. We extend an invitation to all Ghanaians to collaborate with us in our efforts to develop an economy focused on generating jobs and fostering inclusive growth.
Together, we have the opportunity to reset and cultivate the future Ghana we aspire for.
