Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Global Media Foundation (GLOMEF), Raphael Godlove Ahenu, has urged the government to come out with a 5-year pragmatic policy that will address youth unemployment in Ghana.

Under this policy, the government will have to resource key institutions especially the National Youth Authority with the necessary tools for them to be more viable and effective at the community level.

“If National Youth Authority is well resourced, then they will be able to engage young people training them in entrepreneurship skills and other things” he stressed.

He gave the admonition in an interview with Joy News’ Nestor Kafui Adjomah at Sunyani in the Bono region on New Year’s Day, where he urged government to be proactive in addressing the complex economic changes and problems in a fast-changing world.

Mr. Ahenu recommended holistic and integrated measures to tackle unemployment and underemployment among young people in Ghana as 2021 begins.

According to him, unemployment has become a security issue and needed urgent and permanent fix by the duty bearers.

“Majority of these young people have engaged themselves in social vices such armed robbery, scamming as well as vigilantism among others because they do not have jobs” he added.

The CEO of GLOMEF stated government’s measures over the years to arrest youth unemployment has been too adhoc.

“They brought YEA and NABCO but all these measures are not sustainable forms of addressing unemployment in the country” he indicated.

He further said the creation of more sustainable and better quality jobs through effective policy implementation, innovative practices, stronger capacities, and integrated strategies at all levels should top the Akufo-Addo led government’s agenda for the year 2021.

CEO of the Sunyani-based human right media advocacy and entrepreneurship training organization re-echoed the urgent need for government to institute a financial support scheme for young entrepreneurs since most of them lack access to funds.

He also said “Another thing government needed to critically look at this year is assisting young entrepreneurs to reach the international markets, so that the country can also earn some foreign exchange”.

Mr. Ahenu, therefore, emphasized that 2021 will be good if only President Akufo-Addo has his government put the right measures in place to assist young entrepreneurs to flourish.