President Akufo-Addo in a special message to youth through the Minister of Finance during the presentation of the Mid-Year Fiscal Policy Review of the Budget Statement and Economic Policy of the Government of Ghana for the 2021 Financial Year, on Thursday, July 29 urged the youth in Ghana to be patient with government as it creates more job opportunities for them.
According to the President, many measures have been rolled out in pursuit of this policy intervention.
“Mr. Speaker with your permission, may I convey a special message from H.E the President to the young people of our beloved country. The last couple of years have not been easy for our young people. Your education has been disrupted; for many of you, your business plans 36 are on hold because of a lack of funding or opportunities. You may have lost your job or are simply tired of joining long queues or filling job application forms for vacancies that are filled even before your ink is dry. But we have a message for you: big opportunities are coming, and the President wants you to be part of that”
The Minister said. He assured me that “The President is determined to see as many of you have the opportunity to help shape our future. We value your input, and even as we roll out programs to support you, we will continue to engage. Now, more than ever, we need to create a large pool of employment opportunities for the growing number of young Ghanaians, who now have increased access to education. At the heart of the policies outlined in today’s statement is the rolling out of various programs to build an economy that allows you to unleash the wealth and breadth of your energies. Your President believes in the power of constructive collective action”.
“Together we can ensure that yesterday’s problems are tackled today so that we do not carry them on to the next generation. As the Great American, Franklin D Roosevelt, once said, “the only limit to our realization of tomorrow will be our doubts of today”.
He said “We must confront the spirit of doubt and face our fears in faith. 168. Mr. Speaker, today, we have announced key job creation and entrepreneurship interventions such as the YouBanC®️ product, and a host of other Government interventions that target young people. These should enable us to connect applicants to appropriate job opportunities or provide assistance to allow applicants to confidently start their businesses and take full advantage of the supportive ecosystem we have put in place. So, to the young people of Ghana, let me stress to you that our policies are not simply about the next election, even as we persevere to break the proverbial eight. But, more importantly, it is about empowering this generation for them also to prepare a brighter Ghana for the next generation. Our responsibility as your government is not just about responding to the judgment of our critics today, but the judgment of posterity “.
One Million Jobs
The Minister of Finance announced “One Million jobs initiative” to aggressively respond to the need of the country. This is to promote growth in SMEs, support new ventures, and stimulate innovation and start-ups “Enterprise and Youth Support Fund (EYSF).
The Minister explained that “the Enterprise and Youth Support Fund, which aligns with Government’s overall strategy of developing a competitive and viable private sector economy, will Set up a “Youth banc” to finance youth-led start-up businesses across the country. As part of this initiative, an online investment hub will be established for youth across the country to access information to establish businesses. Under this initiative, it is estimated that over 100,000 jobs will be created.
He said the EYSF will be managed by the Venture Capital Trust Fund (VCTF), which is being revamped to be better positioned to carry out the designated activities as a Fund Manager.
“We are also pursuing the “Obaatanpa” Youth Entrepreneurship Drive, Ghana Skills and Enterprise Development Project, Student Entrepreneurship Initiative, the Youth in Community Improvement Module, and the Alternative Employment and Livelihood programs as direct interventions in targeted sectors to help our youth live decent lives and contribute to nation-building”.
Source: Mybrytfmonline.com/Obed Ansah
