The Youth Employment Agency (YEA) in partnership with the Ghanaian-German Centre (GGC) has launched this year’s “Ghana Job Fair” to provide job opportunities for the teeming unemployed youth across the country.
Slated from September 14 to 27, the Fair is set to happen in four different locations; Accra, Sunyani, Kumasi and Tamale, to provide a common platform for job seekers and employers to engage, as part of efforts to address the unemployment scourge.
Dubbed “the Green Edition,” this year’s fair targets opportunities within the agribusiness, environmental and eco-friendly sectors to drive Ghana’s agenda towards achieving a green economy and reduce the impact of climate change.
Speaking at the launch in Accra yesterday, the Deputy Director of YEA in charge of operations, AlhajiIbrahim Bashirusaid the YEA was committed to realising its mandate to empower young people to contribute meaningfully to the socio-economic and sustainable development of the nation through sustainable jobs.
He said, the Agency, through initiatives like its “Job Centre” and variousprogramme modules, has connected hundreds of youth to job opportunities.
“In the last two years since we launched the Job Centre, close to 2000 young people have gained employment so far. We are collaborating with other institutions like the Agricultural Ministry where we have established our own farm in the Bono region, cultivating about 100 acres of land.
Last year, from our Job Fair held in five regions, we had 400 people getting jobs through our partnership withthe National Entrepreneurship and Innovation Programme (NEIP), we are empowering many youth with entrepreneurial skills.”
Alhaji Bashiru said about 100 companies or employers are expected to come on board this year’s fair and “we hope that lots of youth get jobs through this medium.”
He explained that although jobs offered through the Fair was a year under the contract, the YEA was committed following through an exit plan for job seekers as means of creating sustainable employment.
The Director, Finance and Administration at the Ministry of Employment and Labour Relations, Mrs Emma Ofori-Agyemang said although government was committed to keeping people on the labour market till they retire, it was only to carry the burden alone.
“Employment generation is a purposeful event and regularly, we need to ensure there are activities that keep people on the labour market but that cannot be done by government alone.”
Mrs Ofori-Agyemang, lauding the GGC for its consistency in creating diverse job opportunities for the Ghanaian youth, implored other development partners and private institutions to complement government efforts towards youth employment.
The Head of GGC, Mr Benjamin Woesten, in his remarks, highlighted positive outcomes the cooperation between the German and Ghana government had yielded over the years especially in the field of promoting employment.
“We have had a total of 10,927 participants joining our various career and skills development training organised in our last five fairs.”
“In all, close to 600 job fair attendees have been placed in direct employment,” he added and called on all aspiring job seekers as well as hiring companies to take advantage of this year’s opportunity.
Prospective applicants and hiring companies are to download a registration form on the website of the GGC to upload their details for vetting. The deadline is Monday, September 12, 2022.
BY ABIGAIL ANNOH
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