Former Member of Parliament for Yendi, Farouk Aliu Mahama, says Ghana’s unemployment challenge cannot be solved by government interventions alone, insisting that a strong, private sector–driven approach is critical to creating sustainable jobs.

“Government is not the only source of employment. The private sector is also an avenue and a tool that you can use,” Dr Mahama said, as discussions continue around former Vice President Dr Mahamudu Bawumia’s policy direction ahead of the 2028 general elections.

Speaking during a political discussion, the former MP argued that while successive governments have rolled out job creation programmes, the scale of unemployment requires deeper collaboration with the private sector to absorb both low-skilled and highly skilled workers.

He referenced the period when President Nana Akufo-Addo and Dr Bawumia served as President and Vice President, noting that initiatives such as the Nation Builders Corps (NABCO) were introduced to address youth unemployment.

“Even at that time, you saw innovations like NABCO and other programmes. Those efforts show that Dr Bawumia has experience when it comes to thinking about employment,” he said.

Dr Mahama stressed, however, that Dr Bawumia’s next policy agenda would not simply repeat what was outlined in the New Patriotic Party’s (NPP) 2024 manifesto, describing the former Vice President as a critical thinker who is expected to present a revised vision for 2028.

“What was put forward in 2024 will obviously be different from what he presents in 2028. He is engaging and forming committees to come out with a new plan,” he stated.

He explained that a key element of that thinking is decentralising job creation by identifying the specific needs of each constituency and reflecting them in the national budget.

“In every constituency, there are employment challenges. If you take a place like Yendi, agriculture and related projects can create jobs. When those local needs are built into the national budget, you solve the problem from the ground up,” Dr Mahama said.

He also pointed to sectors such as mining, agriculture and industrial development, including iron ore concessions, as areas where private sector participation could significantly expand employment opportunities.

According to him, broader industrialisation across regions such as the Western Region, combined with constituency-level allocations and targeted appointments, could stimulate local economies and reduce unemployment nationwide.

While noting that Dr Bawumia is yet to officially unveil his full 2028 employment agenda, Dr Mahama urged the public to assess the former Vice President based on both his record and the emerging direction of his ideas.

“Let’s wait for him to come out with his final plan,” he added, “but it’s clear that the private sector will have a major role to play in how jobs are created going forward.”