The government is preparing to launch a domestic care economy programme next year, with Youth Development Minister George Opare-Addo projecting that the initiative will create about 100,000 jobs.

According to Mr Opare-Addo, the programme forms part of the government’s broader strategy to tackle unemployment, particularly among young people, as Ghana continues to experience rapid growth in its youth population.

He said although recent data from the Ghana Statistical Service indicate an overall decline in unemployment, youth unemployment remains a concern because of the large number of young people entering the labour market.

“When the Ghana Statistical Service put out their figures, you see that unemployment has generally come down, and it means that our policies are working, but you will also see that there is a small increase in youth unemployment, and the reason is that the youth bulge is big and that is where our population is growing,” he said.

Mr Opare-Addo said the planned care economy programme would create employment opportunities while responding to the growing demand for domestic and care-related services.

He explained that the initiative would form part of a wider package of youth-focused interventions intended to create sustainable livelihoods and reduce pressure on the formal job market.

The Minister said the government would continue to roll out targeted employment programmes to ensure that Ghana’s growing youth population becomes an economic asset rather than a source of increasing unemployment pressure.