The agricultural and public infrastructure works sectors can provide a chunk of the 3 million jobs President John Mahama has promised in his second term, Mr Edward Kareweh, General Secretary of the General Agricultural Workers Union (GAWU), has said.
“The need for job creation is critical in this country … so all economic, social policies must be geared towards job creations. The question is whether it is feasible or not? It is feasible to create jobs but as to whether it is feasible to create the three million [is another question]. Is the three million going to be created within the first year, or second year? Or by the end of the fourth year, the total jobs will be three million? These are the questions one would still need to ask.
“If we proceed to look at the things that need to be done for job creation, first we still need to know the unemployed population in this country, know the type of skills that they have, and then have their profile. Again you also have to know which sectors of the economy can actually give the types of jobs that these unemployed people are looking for. … Agriculture could provide much of the jobs for the unemployed youth. Beyond that you can see that there is so much infrastructure work going on across the country. If we maintain this pace, that means it will also provide more of the jobs for the people. So putting all these things together and then maintaining the momentum and investing in this areas, certainly substantial number of jobs could be created,” Mr Kareweh told Prince Minkah on Class91.3FM’s Executive Breakfast Show on Thursday, 27 October.
President John Mahama said his government intends creating that many jobs should he win the December polls.
“Together with a new NDC Government, I will deliver the most ambitious job creation plan for our country. We will implement the Economic Transformation and Livelihood Empowerment Programme (ETLEP), an Initiative that will generate at least three million direct and indirect jobs,” he said on his website.
He listed seven policies that will help in that regard:
• We will increase funding to the Youth Enterprise Support (YES) Initiative from GH¢10 million to GH¢100 million, which means GH¢25 million a year;
• We will create more IT Enabled Service jobs through the completion of the Ghana – Mauritius Technology Park Project among others;
• We will strengthen and expand the operations of the Microfinance and Small Loans Centre (MASLOC) to create over three hundred thousand (300,000) jobs;
• We will vigorously pursue the Integrated Aluminum Industry Project, which is anchored on the oil and gas industry;
• We will rejuvenate Osagyefo Dr. Kwame Nkrumah’s era factories such as the Asutuare Sugar Factory among others;
• The next NDC Government will employ over 300,000 unskilled people in public works, so that even people with no qualification could get a chance to contribute to our country’s growth and
• The next NDC Government will expand the YEA job creation opportunities from the current 100,000 to 400,000, so that the youth could get more opportunities to work;
Mr Mahama said “together with the NDC, I have carefully designed plans to create more decent jobs in every region and in every economic sector.”
He said now, there is a general consensus among economic scholars around the world that in urban, developed economies, one direct job generates three to five indirect jobs. “Of course, Ghana is not such an economy yet, but let’s apply the same ratio here. 1.5 million direct jobs mean at least six million direct and indirect jobs if we apply the ratio of 1 to 3 (i.e. one direct job generating 3 indirect jobs).”
“In less developed economies the ratio is even higher– in some instances it goes as high as 1 to 20 (one direct job generating 20 indirect jobs) – but I like to keep my feet on the ground. We are talking about human beings and their destinies here, and as President I cannot and will not treat these matters lightly. I prefer to work with very prudent calculations, 3 million more jobs, instead of giving people false hopes.
“So, my extremely cautious estimate is that in the next four years, our programmes and policies will generate at least three (3) million direct and indirect jobs. This is, by all accounts, a huge leap forward!
“I stand unshaken by propaganda – because I know how things truly are in Ghana. I know the degree of social and economic transformation that have taken place under my watch during these last four years. And I know the energy this transformation will unleash in the next four years.
“We have planted the seeds of solid growth and development. It was hard and sometimes frustrating work. But now, the time has come to harvest! The time has come to unleash our full potential of love and hope!
“Three million jobs and a vibrant economy in a highly inclusive democracy, where everybody counts: this is my pledge to all of you!” Mr Mahama added.
Source: Ghana/AccraFM.com
