Chief Executive Officer of the Ghana Association of Banks, John Awuah, has urged Ghana to rethink its employment strategy, insisting that a national job creation framework must go beyond formal corporate positions and equip young people with the skills to build sustainable livelihoods.
Speaking at the 15th Absa‑UPSA Law School Quarterly Banking Roundtable, Mr Awuah highlighted the persistent shortage of skilled tradespeople as a clear sign of untapped employment opportunities within the economy.
"If you need a plumber, a good plumber, it’s a struggle," he said, pointing to the gap between the skills available in the labour market and the services households and businesses actually require. He argued that addressing this mismatch could create new avenues for young people while meeting demand for essential services.
Mr Awuah urged policymakers to develop frameworks that enable unemployed graduates and other youth to pursue entrepreneurship and income‑generating activities rather than view formal employment as their sole route to economic security. "It’s a whole business. And I believe the authorities, if they are watching, that is where we need to build the frameworks that the youth, the teeming youth, the unemployed graduates," he said.
He warned that a narrow definition of employment could leave many young people without viable career prospects. "If our thinking of job is to work in Absa or MTN or Goldfields Ghana, no," he said, stressing the need to recognise other forms of productive work and enterprise. According to him, employment should be measured by the ability to earn a living, rather than solely by securing a position in a large company. "We need to begin seeing jobs as what pays our bills and the things that we do," he added.
Mr Awuah also noted that expanding legitimate economic opportunities could help steer young people away from crime, arguing that the lack of viable livelihoods can deepen their vulnerability to illicit activities.
What comes next? Policymakers and stakeholders will need to collaborate on concrete policies that foster entrepreneurship, vocational training and small‑business support to realise the vision outlined by the banking association’s chief executive.
