The number of jobs advertised in selected print and online media, which partially gauges labour demand in the economy, decreased in December 2021 relative to the corresponding period a year ago.

According to the Bank of Ghana, a total of 2,588 job adverts were recorded as compared with 3,157 for the same period in 2020.

This indicated a decline of 18.0% year-on-year.

On a month-on-month basis, however, the number of job vacancies in December increased by 2.9%.

The year-on-year decline in the number of jobs advertised, according to the Central Bank, reflected some of the difficulties faced by businesses as a result of the coronavirus pandemic.

Cumulatively, the number of jobs advertised in 2021 increased marginally by 1.2% to 34,484 from 34,066 recorded in 2020.

Private sector pension contributors

Meanwhile, total number of private sector SSNIT contributors, which partially gauges employment conditions, improved to 820,297, up by 11.7% year-on-year in November 2021.

This is compared with 734,132 for the same period in 2020.

Cumulatively, for the first eleven months of 2021, the total number of private sector contributors increased by 14.0% to 9,397,216 from 8,241,940 recorded over the corresponding period in 2020.