Special Representative of the Secretary-General and Head of the UN Office for West Africa and Sahel (UNOWAS), Dr. Mohamed Ibn Chambas has raised alarm over the high rate of unemployment in the country.

Speaking at the Breakfast Lecture for the Chief Imam under the theme; “Advancement of modern Ghanaian society through peace, tolerance and development”, Dr. Ibn Chambas said the increasing rate of youth unemployment is a ticking time bomb waiting to explode soon if urgent steps are not taken to reverse the trend.

According to him, although Ghana is now among the three fastest growing economies in the world and is witnessing impressive economic growth, it has however failed to create jobs for the youth.

Bemoaning how bad the situation is and the dangers it currently poses to the country, Dr. Ibn Chambas said it would be prudent if measures are taken immediately to bridge the gap between the poor and the rich by providing more jobs for the youth.

Moreover, he said creating jobs for the youth will not only avert calamities but also create a dynamic and innovative workforce that will drive the country to prosperity.

“Ghana has featured as the fastest growing economy in Africa and one of the three fasters growing in the world. However while Ghana is indeed witnessing impressive economic growth by several measures, this is associated with and it’s resulting in very rapid economic polarisation. The gap between rich and poor is widening and this runs counter to our collective vision as a country and its commitments to the UN’s SDGs 2030 and the Africa agenda 2063. So we must redouble our efforts to ensure that development leads no one behind. Those farthest behind should be the target of policies to lift them out of their status as the poorest of the poor”, he said.

He further added that “development can only be sustainable if it leads to structural transformation of our economy by building solid infrastructure, engaging in beneficiation in value addition to our raw materials, industrialisation and creating more jobs for the teaming unemployed youth so that they do not become a ticking time bomb but rather a dynamic innovative, creative work force that will propel us to prosperity for all”.