National Youth Authority To Meet 120 CEOs Over Jobs For The Youth

At least 120 Chief Executive Officers in the country are expected to meet over one of Ghana's greatest socioeconomic challenges - jobs for the youth.

A one-day stakeholder forum organised by the National Youth Authority is expected to come off September 20 at the Alisa Hotel in Accra.

The CEOs and top government officials will deliberate on how to re-channel their corporate social responsibilities into a more focussed agenda to address unemployment.

CEOs from 32 banks, 24 oil-related companies, 20 big-name retail provisions companies and 16 automobile and airline companies, 10 mining companies, six pharmaceuticals and health services and five telcos will all have one agenda to mull over.

Senior minister Yaw Osafo Maafo is headline speaker for the forum which will also be addressed by Business Development minister Mohammed Awal.

The Chief Executives will also learn lessons from how South Africa engaged big businesses and entrepreneurs to help address teeming unemployment in the rainbow nation.

Parliament's youngest MP Francisca Oteng-Mensah who was 23 years old when she won the Kwabre East seat will make a case for greater attention to youth development.

Ghana has an extremely youthful population with at least 57% of it 27million citizens under 25 years. While unemployment data is scanty, a 2006 National Security reports pegs unemployment at 26% of the population.

More than a decade later, many believe the situation has worsened.

Ghana is part of Africa's scary youth unemployment challenge which informed the African Union's decision to dedicate the next 50 years to youth development and empowerment.

The AU has launched its Agenda 2063 aimed at ensuring the continent's greatest asset, the youth, determine the “Africa We Want.”

Deputy NYA CEO Bright Acheampong explained, the Youth Authority has taken up this continental challenge, localising it with programmes it believes can help address the unemployment crisis.