November 2022 | Accra, Ghana
PEP researchers in Ghana shared recommendations to ensure sustainable youth employment programs through improved policies and implementation at a national policy conference.
November 29, 2022 – A team of local PEP researchers held a national policy conference to share their recommendations for improving policies that promote sustainable long-term jobs for youth in Ghana.
The research team organized a conference that brought together more than 18 policy stakeholders, advisers, academics, and civil society representatives. In attendance were representatives from the Ministry of Youth and Sports, the Ministry of Education, and the Labour Department, as well as experts from the World Bank and the National Development and Planning Commission.
Dr. Thomas Yeboah presented the team's findings from their PEP research project, which focused on Youth Employment Programs (YEPs) in Ghana. Through an empirical review of YEPs, the research team aimed to understand the factors that contribute to the low rates of employment among young people in the country and the effectiveness of these programs in addressing this issue.
The issue of youth unemployment is a significant challenge in Ghana, with over 2 million people aged between 15 and 35 unemployed as of 2021, according to the team's research. Limited access to secure work opportunities has severe consequences for the economy, social stability, and overall development of the country.
The research team found that YEPs can increase youth employment rates in Ghana, but their effectiveness is limited by various factors, such as inadequate impact evaluations and unfair beneficiary selection. Additionally, the lack of coordination and collaboration among the various stakeholders involved in YEPs significantly hinders their success.
Based on their findings, Dr. Yeboah and his team recommended several measures to improve the effectiveness of YEPs in Ghana. The measures include centralized planning and implementation of YEPs under one ministry to minimize program duplication and strengthen coordination among agencies and units, as well as the development of clear and measurable performance evaluations.
During the presentation, participants actively engaged in the discussions. There was a consensus on many of the findings shared, particularly by the Director of Policy, Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation at the Ministry of Youth and Sports, Mr. Alhaji Sani Mohammed Adams, who is directly involved in policy preparation for the ministry. Mr. Adams agreed with the findings concerning the YEPs' lack of impact evaluations.
The event was attended by two journalists, among them Salifu Abdul-Rahaman from the Ghanaian Times, who covered the team's research in the publication, highlighting the public's interest in the team's results and recommendations.
The research team organized the event with financial and advisory support from PEP and the Mastercard Foundation.
