Security expert Dr Ishmael Norman has warned that government alone cannot solve Ghana’s growing youth unemployment challenge.

Speaking on Joy News’ PM Express on Wednesday, Dr Norman stressed that the country must rethink its approach to job creation and involve businesses more directly in absorbing the growing number of young people entering the labour market.

The President of the Institute for Security, Disaster and Emergency Studies argued that national efforts must focus on enabling private enterprises to expand and hire more workers.

“And I think if the executives put their heads together and Ghanaians put their heads together, we should be able to find ways to find jobs for the youth.”

Dr Norman said one practical solution is for government to make loans more accessible and affordable for businesses and industry leaders so they can grow their operations.

“One of them is for government to make loans really reasonable to businesses, captains of industry, so they can expand their businesses.”

According to him, financing arrangements must be structured to allow businesses enough time to grow before repayment begins.

“Long-term payment plan moratorium, you know, moratorium for about the first year you give ¢1 or ¢2 million, with an 18-month moratorium before they start to pay back.”

He believes such financial support would allow companies to scale up operations and employ more young people.

“And believe me, if government makes loans accessible to businesses, some of these issues can be solved because government alone cannot create all the jobs.”

Dr Norman emphasised that expecting the state to employ the majority of the workforce is unrealistic and inconsistent with global economic practice.

“There is no country in the world where government is the major employer and is able to employ everybody.”

He said the expectation that government must absorb the bulk of the labour force is simply not sustainable.

“It’s not possible.”

Dr Norman cited global examples to illustrate how private-sector growth has helped create employment opportunities at scale.

Even in countries with strong state control over the economy, he noted, private enterprise still plays a central role in job creation and wealth generation.

“Even in communist China, private enterprise is part of the reason why they were able to transform so many of their populations into millionaires.”

His remarks come amid an ongoing national debate about youth unemployment and the role of government in job creation.

Dr Norman’s comments highlight the need for a broader strategy that places the private sector at the centre of employment generation while government provides the enabling financial and policy environment.

He maintained that expanding access to credit for businesses could unlock new growth opportunities and help address one of Ghana’s most pressing socio-economic challenges.