When will these plans turn into actual jobs?

 When will these plans turn into actual jobs?

Ghana's unemployment rate is now alarmingly high. Even though official data on unemployment are hard to come by, figures from development partners and other research institutions show that almost half of the country's young people are unemployed and that most people who are employed are unhappy with their wages. According to a recent survey conducted by the Institute for Statistical, Social, and Economic Research (ISSEER), only 10% of graduates who leave universities each year find employment within their first year of graduation. 90% of graduates join the growing number of unemployed to look for jobs that don't even exist.

One more review by the World Bank in May last year showed that around 48% of people between the ages of 15 and 24 years didn't have occupations. Notwithstanding the disturbing rate, the bank assessed that people inside that age section would before the long top, raising worries about the need to find concrete and enduring answers for the joblessness ulcer. In the past, numerous attempts to resolve the issue have been made, but little has been accomplished.

This explains why the government and other state institutions' recent announcements to assist in the creation of thousands of jobs for the general public are commendable. The Nation Builders' Corps, with its 100,000 jobs, Planting for Food and Jobs, with its 750,000 jobs, and the National Entrepreneurship Innovation Plan (NEIP), which aims to help young entrepreneurs with soft credit start and/or grow their businesses, are among them.

However, the implementation of these plans into actions to assist in absorbing the thronging youth remains to be seen. Mr. Ken Ofori-Atta, the country's Finance Minister, stated at a recent forum that the unemployment situation has evolved into a threat to national security and that the sooner we address it, the better for the nation.

A high unemployment rate undermines economic growth because most of these people won't be able to contribute their share to national development, in addition to posing a threat to public safety. The GRAPHIC BUSINESS is of the opinion that the best way to address the problem of unemployment is for the government to create the conditions for the private sector to thrive through retooling, expansion, and increased investments in both existing and new businesses. This is in addition to announcing special programs aimed at creating jobs.

There is no denying that the business environment is too rigid for entrepreneurs, particularly those in the agricultural and manufacturing industries. As a result, any efforts to boost private sector job creation should focus on lowering interest rates, lowering taxes on important industries like agriculture and manufacturing, and figuring out a better way to revitalize failing businesses in the salt, shea, cashew, and coffee value chain.

Any successful attempt to revamp these activities will not only result in the creation of numerous additional jobs and lessen the nation's excessive import dependence to the benefit of the cedi. While we anticipate the proper implementation of these initiatives to create jobs, which were announced in the budget and by other state institutions, it is important to note that jobs in the public sector are barely viable.

The state's ability to pay for public sector workers is being questioned, as the estimated wage bill for 2018 is GH16.8 billion, or 42% of that year's tax revenue. As a result, the need to transfer a portion of the workforce to the private sector is pressing. We believe that the private sector should take any initiative to increase employment, not the state.

Blues at the Legends and Legacy Ball.

 Once again, the event's organizers, Imajin Advertising, have pushed back the event's date, this time to March 2018. They insist that the new date will hold. It is truly regrettable that a show that quickly rose to the top of the entertainment calendar is now plagued by postponements and cancellations.

The idea of the "Legends and Legacy Ball" is fantastic; remunerating our artists who have emitted their best over the course of the years is extraordinary on the grounds that there are very few such drives. Frequently, we hang tight for them to bite the dust before we offer them respects they won't ever see. Up to this point, the occasion has respected Daddy Lumba, Amakye Dede, A. B. Crentsil, and Kojo Antwi and they did it with pomp and circumstance. As was the case with former President John Agyekum Kufuor and former President Jerry John Rawlings and his wife, Nana Konadu Agyemang Rawlings, the shows were well-organized and even helped to reconcile "feuding" factions.

Therefore, it is disappointing that such a commendable program has not been held for three years. Imajin Advertising's inability to define the issue in detail is troubling. Imajin is acting in accordance with the Akan proverb, which translates to "if you don't sell your sickness, you won't get healing." They respond in ways that cast even more doubt on the nature of their issue instead of stating it. There are already a lot of rumors, and their lack of effective responses makes them appear to be true. Being truthful may assist them in locating assistance for the event's sustainability.

The Ministry of Tourism, Arts, and Culture might also consider providing assistance to businesses or event organizers. These are organizations that offer work to numerous and they should not be permitted to implode. While government intervention can be beneficial at times, it should not be relied upon for everything. The creative arts scene in our country is dying and needs to be revived, and the government is the best source of assistance. We anticipate the "Legends and Legacy Ball" taking place in March 2018. If it proceeds in the same manner as previous events, it will be regrettable.