The head of Department of Economics at the University of Ghana, Legon, Professor William Baah-Boateng, has blamed the recent kidnappings and acts of vigilantism in the country, on unemployment among the youth.

He urged government to control population growth through education, to be able to successfully fight unemployment.

Prof Baah-Boateng made the assertion at the Master-Card Foundation Research Seminar, organised by Campaign for Female Education (CAMFED), a non-profit organisation, in Accra yesterday.

The event that aimed at exploring evidence-based employment prospects and skills, for post-secondary youth to take up employment opportunities, was held on the theme ‘Supporting young people’s livelihoods: exploring post-secondary school opportunities.’

According to Prof Baah-Boateng, there was a problem with the quality of employment of some individuals, adding that frustration alone could make it impossible for some members of the public to resist the temptation of engaging in illegal activities to fend for themselves and their families.

He advised job seekers to desist from having “unreasonable” high wage, and benefit expectation, adding that it was necessary for people searching for employment to tone down their job expectations to increase chances of getting jobs easily”.

Prof Baah-Boateng commended President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo for introducing the Nation Builders Corps (NABCO) and the Free Senior High School (FSHS).

He said that quality education, skill development and sustainable quality economic growth could play roles in promoting the development and creating more jobs.

The National Director, CAMFED-Ghana, John Asibi Ali, mentioned that his outfit would prioritise the welfare of the youth, especially the education of females.

He said the Master-card Foundation had implemented a programme dubbed ‘the Scholars Programme’, to provide comprehensive support to academically-gifted young women in the rural communities within CAMFED’s operational regions.

Mr Ali assured Ghanaians of CAMFED’s continuous readiness to support women in the country improve their standards of living.