Flagbearer of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), John Mahama, has issued a stark warning about the potential consequences of neglecting Ghana’s youthful population, describing unemployment among the youth as a ticking timebomb.

In a recent address during a visit to the La Dadekotopon constituency on July 5, Mahama highlighted the urgency of creating opportunities for Ghana’s youthful demographic to avert socio-economic unrest akin to recent disturbances in Kenya.

Drawing parallels with decentralized protests in Kenya over tax hikes and political grievances, Mahama criticized the economic management under President Akufo-Addo’s administration. He emphasized the need for a transformative approach under the next NDC administration to address these challenges.

“They say Africa’s population is youthful and it’s important to have a youthful population. But if you have a youthful population and you’re not creating opportunities for them, then it can become a timebomb," Mahama cautioned.

Mahama pledged that under the leadership of the NDC, there would be a concerted effort to implement robust economic policies aimed at creating numerous opportunities for Ghana’s youth.

He vowed to depart from business-as-usual practices and swiftly address economic challenges he attributed to the policies of Vice President Bawumia and President Akufo-Addo.

“The people of Ghana are looking at NDC to come and rescue them from the hardships in which they have been plunged…We will do things that will turn the economy around as quickly as possible,” Mahama affirmed.

The African Development Bank (AfDB) has reported that Ghana's youth unemployment rate reached 7.16% in 2023, with the issue being particularly severe among those aged 15 to 24.

This information comes from the AfDB's updated 2024 Africa Economic Outlook, which underscores a significant gender disparity in youth unemployment rates.

According to the report, unemployment is notably higher among young women than their male counterparts. Female youth unemployment reached 36.7%, while the rate for males was 29.3%.

The report also highlights a slight increase in multidimensional poverty, rising from 46% in 2017 to 46.7% in 2022, a trend largely attributed to the lingering effects of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Rising youth unemployment in Ghana has become a growing concern, leading to calls for intensified structural transformation.

The AfDB report points out that productivity in the services sector, the largest employer in the country, has stagnated. Meanwhile, gains in industry and agriculture have remained modest.

The report notes a significant shift in employment shares across sectors. Agriculture's share of employment fell from 53.9% in 2007 to 29.8% in 2019. In contrast, industry's share increased from 14.1% to 21.0%, and the services sector saw its share rise from 31.9% to 49.2%.

To accelerate Ghana's structural transformation, the AfDB suggests several measures. These include enhancing competitiveness by addressing infrastructure bottlenecks, accelerating agro-industrialization through skills development and value addition, and bolstering private sector growth.

Additionally, the report emphasizes the need for a robust policy framework to support technology adoption and innovation.