Ghana’s VP says African leaders need to tackle youth unemployment

May 29, 2015 The issue of youth unemployment in the continent has prompted Ghana’s Vice President, Kwesi Amissah-Arthur to make a call to his colleagues and African leaders to deal with the problem.

Mr. Kwesi believes ignoring the worsening issue could lead to mass social unrest and agitation in Africa, and that it remains a blot on the conscience of African governments even in the midst of economic achievements. The VP made the appeal in Abidjan at a meeting with an Ethiopian delegation which was led by the Ethiopian Finance Minister, Mr Sufian Ahmed.

Vice President Amissah-Arthur told the delegation that people, especially the youth, need more than statistical evidence of progress in their lives. He stated that having job opportunities is an inescapable topic which governments cannot keep postponing. The Ghanaian leader also pointed out that African governments have the duty to give youth access and hope to their future by finding the most appropriate ways of transforming their talents to benefit them and the economy of their countries.

Mr. Ahmed welcomed the Vice President and talked about both countries’ relationship which could be traced back in time to the days of Ghana’s First President, Dr. Kwame Nkrumah and Emperor Haile Selassie. He commended Ghana’s role in the liberation struggle of Africa and the strides to deepen democracy and good governance on the continent. Mr Ahmend especially agreed with the points Mr. Amissah-Arthur made on youth unemployment, saying it could unravel the modest gains of economic development and the social improvement in the lives of the people which many governments have carried out in Africa.