Member of Parliament for Ofoase-Ayirebi  Kojo Oppong Nkrumah has urged a comprehensive overhaul of Ghana’s approach to tackling youth unemployment, cautioning that training young people without creating pathways to actual jobs risks deepening frustration among the country’s youth.

Speaking during parliamentary deliberations on unemployment, the Ofoase-Ayirebi legislator presented a five-point framework designed to enhance the impact of employment interventions and confront what he described as a growing jobs crisis.

Central to his proposals is the introduction of transparent performance tracking for employment programmes. He argued that publishing regular scorecards on job creation initiatives would provide a clear basis for evaluating their effectiveness and ensuring accountability.

Mr. Oppong Nkrumah also stressed the need to separate skills acquisition programmes from employment generation schemes, noting that the two serve different purposes and should therefore be supported by distinct policy measures and funding structures.

He further advocated a stronger role for the private sector in driving employment growth, urging government to reduce its dependence on public financing. Instead, he said, authorities should focus on creating favourable conditions for investment by reducing business risks, partnering with investors where necessary, and ensuring a predictable regulatory environment.

The lawmaker identified apprenticeship programmes as a critical avenue for addressing youth unemployment and proposed making them a cornerstone of the national employment agenda. He called for a structured apprenticeship system backed by nationally recognised certification, shared financing arrangements between employers and government, and clear transition routes into formal jobs or entrepreneurship.

In addition, Mr. Oppong Nkrumah underscored the importance of reliable labour market data, proposing the creation of a robust information system capable of tracking employment trends across the country. Such a platform, he said, should provide district-level data on vacancies, workforce needs, skills shortages and graduate employment outcomes to support evidence-based policymaking.

He concluded by urging decision-makers to prioritise practical, results-oriented measures over political rhetoric, insisting that a coordinated and data-driven strategy is essential to creating sustainable employment opportunities for Ghana’s young population.