According to a report released by the Ghana Statistical Service (GSS), approximately 24.2% of young individuals aged between 15 and 24 were not involved in education, employment, or training during the third quarter of 2022. This figure corresponds to 1.5 million individuals within this age group. The information was shared in a statement from the GSS as part of the Annual Household Income and Expenditure Survey 2022 Third Quarter Labour Statistics Report.
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“More than half of the youth are in Accra (312,394), Ashanti (300,161), Eastern (131,341), and Central (129,182) regions. In 13 out of the 16 regions, more than 20 per cent of young persons, 15 to 24 years were not in education, employment, or training. Eastern Region (30.0%) has the highest proportion of youth, with a figure about twice that of Bono Region (14.5%) which has the lowest proportion,” the report said.
The report also revealed that, according to the 2021 Population and Housing Census, approximately 11.1% of individuals aged 15 to 24, representing 1.4 million young people, never attended school.
Among this age group, a slightly higher percentage of females (12.0%) had not attended school compared to males (10.2%). Certain regions, such as Savannah (43.4%), North East (36.8%), Northern (33.3%), Upper West (20.9%), and Oti (20.7%), had a higher prevalence of young people who had never attended school. These five regions collectively accounted for nearly half (665,508) of the young individuals who had not received any formal education.
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Furthermore, the census data revealed an unemployment rate of 32.8% among individuals aged 15 to 24, with females experiencing a higher unemployment rate (36.7%) compared to males (29.3%).
The unemployment rate in this age group exceeded 30% in 12 out of the 16 regions, with the Upper West Region having the highest rate at 39%, followed by Western North (38.4%).
The release of this statement coincided with World Youth Skills Day, celebrated annually on July 15th, which highlights the importance of equipping young people with the skills necessary for employment, decent work, and entrepreneurship. This year’s theme is “Skilling teachers, trainers, and youth for a transformative future.”
