The National Youth Authority (NYA) has organized a workshop for young people in Ashaiman aimed at addressing youth unemployment through community-driven solutions.

As part of the initiative, participants were grouped into unit committees and tasked with engaging members of their respective communities to identify the challenges preventing many young people from securing employment. The committees were also assigned to collect data on the educational backgrounds of unemployed youth and the types of jobs they aspire to pursue.

According to the organizers, the initiative forms part of the government’s commitment to reducing youth unemployment across the country. They explained that after several interventions failed to produce the desired results, they are optimistic that the new community-based approach will generate reliable data and practical solutions that can positively impact employment opportunities for the youth.

Some of the participants who spoke during the workshop welcomed the initiative and pledged their commitment to ensuring its success through active participation and community engagement.

Speaking at the event, Ms Ernestina Atsupe Kpododzi said Ghanaian youth are eager to demonstrate their abilities once they are given the necessary opportunities. She dismissed the perception that young people are lazy, describing it as a misconception that does not reflect reality.

“The youth of this country are ready to unleash their potential when given the opportunity. The notion that the youth are lazy is a fallacy, and I do not subscribe to it,” she said.

Ms Kpododzi further urged the National Youth Authority (NYA) and other stakeholders to empower young people with the necessary resources, insisting that even modest support would enable them to create meaningful results and contribute to national development. 

A graduate who currently operates a tilapia supply business, providing fresh fish to several hotels in Accra, Miss Kpododzi also encouraged her fellow graduates not to remain idle while waiting for white-collar jobs. Instead, she urged them to embrace entrepreneurship and explore available opportunities that can provide sustainable livelihoods.

The workshop is expected to provide valuable data to guide future employment interventions and strengthen efforts to reduce youth unemployment through targeted, community-based policies.