The Majority Leader in Parliament, Mahama Ayariga, has urged lawmakers to prioritise job creation as Parliament reconvenes for a new session, emphasising that Ghana’s young population continues to face major barriers to economic inclusion.

Speaking on the floor of Parliament on Tuesday during the House’s resumption, Mahama Ayariga said his interactions with constituents during the recess underscored the urgent need to address youth unemployment, which remains one of the country’s most pressing challenges.

“Mr Speaker, during recess, MPs had the opportunity to observe the impact of the work we did during our previous meetings — the budget we approved, the laws we passed, and the policies underpinning them. Our engagements revealed the persistent urge and need to address youth unemployment,” he said.

The Bawku Central MP added that the House would, in the current meeting, focus on reviewing the job creation policies across various sectors to ensure that national legislation directly supports employment growth.

He noted that Ghana’s demographic profile makes the issue even more urgent, with citizens aged 15 to 35 forming over 38% of the population and 60% of the labour force.

“They face enormous barriers to economic inclusion,” he said, adding, “Indeed, they want jobs.”

Mr. Ayariga also cited findings from the 2024 Afrobarometer report by the Centre for Democratic Development (CDD-Ghana), which revealed that unemployment remains the top concern among Ghanaians, followed by the management of the economy and infrastructure development.

“We must ensure that our laws and the policies we enact create jobs,” he stressed.